Alaçatı and the Early Canhasan Sites

In Alaçatı are the archaeological sites of Canhasan I, Canhasan II and Canhasan III. They include prehistoric horizons of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic and the Chalcolithic. This chronological range is precisely what makes Canhasan a distinctive cultural subject: the names of the three sites refer to different findings and dates. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Alaçatı, you can first consider whether early settlement history is the focus you want for your trip.

Canhasan I: Layers and Architecture

Canhasan I has seven cultural layers. Layers 2A and 2B are considered fully representative of Chalcolithic artefacts and architecture; layers 4 to 7 have been identified entirely as Neolithic. This makes it possible to connect Neolithic and Chalcolithic classifications to specific layer numbers at a single site. The Chalcolithic architecture of Canhasan I offers a distinctive point of comparison: the architecture excavated there had not previously been known in Central Anatolia.

Canhasan II and III each add a different dimension to the picture. Canhasan II is generally dated later than the other Canhasan mounds. Based on the finds, the settlement was assigned to later periods; a date ranging from the Hellenistic to the Ottoman period is considered probable. Pigments observed on house floors and in plaster layers at Canhasan III point to architectural parallels. Archaeological work at Canhasan resumed in 2021 after an interruption of around five decades. This more recent phase in the history of research should be distinguished from the much earlier dates assigned to the settlements.

Landscape and Geographical Setting

The road to Sudurağı crosses the Canhasan I and II sites in Alaçatı. Canhasan III is approximately 650 metres from Canhasan I. The landscape also tells a story of longer-term change: the Canhasan sites were once in a very fertile region rich in water. As the groundwater level fell below 300 metres and conditions became drier, the landscape changed. Alongside the archaeological periods, the region’s former environment and its transformation are therefore also subjects of interest.

Karaman as a Distinct Cultural Context

The wider destination of Karaman offers further cultural attractions. Finds from the Canhasan mounds are displayed in the nearby Karaman Museum. Karaman Kalesi is in the city centre of Karaman and probably dates from the late 11th or early 12th century. The castle consists of three concentric rings of fortifications, known as the outer, middle and inner castles. The inner castle stands on a hill with traces from the Bronze Age as well as the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Hatuniye Madrasa is also in the city centre of Karaman. It was built in 1382 by Nefise Sultan, daughter of Ottoman Sultan Murat Hüdavendigar and wife of Karamanoğlu Alaaddin Bey. The building has an open courtyard, a single iwan, courtyard sides surrounded by arcades, and student cells on the east and west sides. Karaman thus offers its own architectural and historical focus alongside the Canhasan sites in Alaçatı.

Choose Your Accommodation Location Based on Your Cultural Interests

Your cultural focus is a helpful starting point when choosing a holiday apartment. If you would like to focus primarily on the Canhasan sites and their early layers of time, search for accommodation in Alaçatı. If Karaman Kalesi, the museum and Hatuniye Madrasa are your priorities, Karaman is a suitable place to search. When planning a trip with children, the specific layer names and different dates can provide a thread to follow: What belongs to the Neolithic, what to the Chalcolithic, and why is Canhasan II classified differently?

Discover more destinations: Ambar, Akçaşehir Belediyesi, Koçaşlı, Ayrancı, Ermenek, Karaman, Kazımkarabekir

Back to the broader travel overview: Karaman.