WATER TUNNELS AND WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM OF ANCIENT SBEDE KARAMAN ERMENEK YUKARI ÇAĞLAR MEHMET BİLDİRİCİ

Sbede is ancient city near the modern village of ERMENEK that is a sub province of KARAMAN.

WHERE IS ERMENEK? HOW IT CAN BE ACCESSED? Ermenek is sub province of Karaman (Fig.1) and can be reached by several highways. The first route is to Ermenek from Mut that is on the Konya Karaman Silifke highway. From Mut to Ermenek 80 km. The second route is from Karaman over Bucakkışla to Ermenek, 120 km. The other alternative is from Konya-Hadim-Taşkent to Ermenek, 170 km. Another possible way from is from Anamur over Kazancı and from Alanya to Ermenekhighways are possible.

THE HISTORY OF ERMENEK Very little is known about the history of Ermenek prior Roman era was founded by GERMANIUS who was the grandson of the first Roman Emperor AUGUSTUS in about 30 AD. The city flourished greatly in Roman time with many rock tombs and inscriptions in the area to day along with a stronghold called FİRAN KALESİ. The original name of the city GERMANICOPOLIS survives today as ERMENEK. The area around Ermenek is mentioned as a Decapolis (ten cities). Some of the cities mentioned are SBEDE (Yukarı Çağlar), Domitapolis , Eirenepolis (Irnebol) and others. The ISAURIANS were living in this corner of Anatolia (Ermenek, Bozkır, Hadim) in ancient times. They were brave and hurt people with their own language, religion and traditions. There are no known inscriptions from the Isaurians, so a very little is known about them. In the Byzantine time the Isaurians accepted Christianity and Greek language and culture. In the 5th century an Isaurian Chief from Ermenek became the Byzantine Emperor as ZENON (474-491). Ermenek was a suffrage of Seleucia (Silifke). Many of the ruins and the traces of Byzantine churches can still be seen Ermenek and surroundings. The First Crusades sustained a great defeat near Ermenek in 1098. The city then passed into hands of the Armenian dynasty of RUPENIANS. They called the city as “GERMANIC” from which the present day name Ermenek is derived. The Seljuk Turks captured the city which resulted in, Turkish tribes and Islam coming to the region. Under the Turkish rule from the 13th to1465, the rulers were KARAMANOGULLARI (Karamanids) of the “Karaman Principality”. In Ermenek many mosques (Ulucamii) and religious Schools as Tol Medrese were constructed and in 1465 the city became part of the Ottoman Empre.

Figure 1 The general plan of the Ermenek and the surroundings areas (Bildirici, M, 2012)

Number Descriptions 1 KONYA Provence center 2 KARAMAN Provence center 3 Mut Town of Mersin 4 Silifke (SELEUCEIA) Town of Mersin 5 Anamur (Anamurion) Town of Mersin 6 Alanya Town of Antalya 8 ERMENEK Town of Karaman 9 Güneyyurt (Gargara) Karaman-Ermenek 10 Yukarı Çağlar (SBEDE) “ 11 Aşaği Çağlar “ 12 Kazancı Karaman-Ermenek 13 Hadim Town of Konya 14 Aladağ Konya-Hadim 15 Bozkır Town of Konya 17 Gazipaşa (Death place of Emperor Trajan) Town of Antalya 18 Taşkent Town of Konya 19 Bucakkışla Town of Karaman 20 Çumra (Çatalhöyük) Town of Konya

GEOGRAPHY Number Descriptions A Ermenek Çayı (Ermenek Creek) B Ermenek Dam C Gezende Dam D Su Çatı (joining point of two rivers) E Göksu (river) ancient CALYCADNOS F Navaği Çayı (Navağı Creek) Küçüksu creek G Taşeli Yaylası H Taurus Mountains (Toros Dağları) J Geyikli Dağları (Geyikli Mountains)

WATER RESOURCHES In the region the main river is Ermenek Çayı (Ermenek Creek) shown in (Fig.1). The headwaters of the Ermenek Çayı are on the Geyiklidag mountains. This creek and the river of Göksu join at SUÇATI near the modern city of MUT and flows down to Silifke. The name of Göksu river in ancient time was CALCADNOS. The length of Ermenek Çay to Suçatı is 220 km. One of the main branches of Ermenek Çayı is Küçüksu or Navagı Çayı. This creek is on the west of Güneyyurt , Yukarı Çaglar (Sbede) and Aşagı Çağlar. Navagı is another name given to Isaurians. ERMENEK DAM was constructed on Ermenek Çayı in the years 2002-2011. Information about the dam is as follows; The height of the dam is 210 meters. 21. Highest Dam in the World. The annual discharge capacity of the dam is 1.747.380.000 cubic meters The volume of it is 4.582.580.000 cubic meters The area of lake of dam is 61 km2. The benchmark is 700 m The aim of dam is to produce electricity and flood control.

Fig.2 The Aerial Photo of the region

EXPLORING THE ANCIENT CITY OF SBEDE Water tunnels of Yukarı Çaglar were investigated for the first time by MEHMET BİLDİRİCİ for his book “KONYA TARİHİ SU YAPILARI” that was published by the DSİ Genel Müdürlügü (General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works) in1994 in Ankara. Before this time British Archaeologist and Historian GEORGE BEAN had visited the village in 1960’s, and investigated inscriptions in the area, however he found nothing in Yukarı Çaglar (Bean and Mitfort, 1970). They described Yukarı Çağlar as ancient SBEDE but did not mention any of water tunnels. Mr. ALİ AKTÜRK from the village of Yukarı Çaglar, examined the area several times and had taken hundreds of photos of the monuments. In August of 2011 Mehmet Bildirici and Ali Aktürk met bear Yukarı Çaglar, and visited the monuments again In order to make a map ancient city. As a result of this work, a new ancient city uncovered with water tunnels, city walls, cisterns, a church and rock tombs. During this time Ramazan Bahar, Abdullah Çıkrık, Mehmet Aktürk helped with the investigating of the area.

Fig 3 The Plan of Ancient city

DESCRIPTION Item Description 1 Boncuk Çayırı, the spring, beginning of water tunnel 2 Aqueduct 3 Ayı Pınarı (the enterence of the tunnel) 4 The windows of the tunnel 5 Ancient another water tunnel 6 The end of the tunnel 7 The cistern of the city 8 Sultan Tahtı (Heart of the ancient city) 9 The walls of ancient city 10 Rock tombs 11 Byzantine rock-cut Church 12 Natural Rock Monument 13 Suluin another water tunnel 14 Keben, ancient road 15 Su Uçtu, The Water fall 16 The cite of ancient city (SBIDE) 17 Yukarı Çağlar (To-day village) 18 Modern Mosque of the village and spring 19 Another Modern village, Aşağı Çağlar 20 Acropolis of Ancient city 21 The foundation of a Church

ANCIENT SİTE The site of ancient city is referred to as *16 on the map. Today there are new houses and gardens in the area. In August 2011 we stayed at the house Mehmet Aktürk located inside of the ancient site CITY WALLS *9 on the map are the traces of city walls. Father Mehmet Aktürk said that when he was a young boy, the heights of the walls were about 2 meters.

ROCK TOMBS Rock tombs in the area (*10 on the map) very interesting in Fig.4

SULTAN TAHTI *8 on the map is Sultan Tahtı (The Throne of Sultan) in the heart of the city and probably the administrative center. It is in need of urgent rescue excavating.

Figure 4 Rock tombs

Fig 5. Keben Ancient road

Fig.6 Keben ancient road rises up

Fig. 7 Natural Monument of rocks

Fig. 8-9 Byzantine rock-cut Church (Arılık-Cave of the bees)

Fig.10 Central Mosque of Yukarı Çağlar (Over on the site an old Church)

Fig 11 The head of a pillar of ancient city BYZANTINE CHURCHES *11 on the map is Arılık (Turkish, the cave of the bees) a Byzantine rock-cut church, in Fig. 8-9 and on *21 on the map is another foundation of a Byzantine Church. KEBEN ANCIENT ROAD *7 on the map is Keben. Sorkun Yayla is a high place where the people live in the summer months and do husbandry which can be reached by the Keben ancient road in Fig.5-6. THE ACROPOLIS & NATURAL MONUMENT OF THE ROCKS *20 on the map is the acropolis of city unexplored. *12 on the map is natural rock monument that is a mountainous area and full of hills in Fig.7 SUUÇTU (WATER FLY) *15 is on the map is Suuçtu (Water fly) in some rainy years, the rain water of Sorkun Yayla makes a temporary water fall. This hydrological event happened in 2012. YUKARI ÇAĞLAR VİLLAGE *17-18 on the map is Yukarı Çaglar village (called Svede in the Byzantine time and İzvit in Ottoman times. Yukarı means “up” and Aşagı is “down” in Turkish. When the ancient of Sbede was abandoned, the people settled down in Yukarı Çaglar during the mediaeval period and continue to the modern times. In the heart of the village there is a spring and a mosque. According to author the mosque was constructed over the site of a Church in the Karamanids period in 10-1. Aşagı (down) Çaglar is another modern village. According to the Muhtar (ruler) of the village, two villages were settled with people of different origin although the villages bear the same root name. The villages are on the top of the Mountains of TAURUS in a good place for living among the Forests, with good water and good weather. The author observed that more people after working in the areas of İzmir, and Konya preferred to resettle in their father lands.

THE WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS OF THE ANCIENT CITY The water to the ancient site was carried by means of water tunnel, 4,2 km long shown in Fig.2. In these areas there are many water springs. The water tunnel gets water from Boncuk Çayırı Spring. Today we can see a modern fountain there. Ayı Pınarı (The spring of a bear) is the only entrance for the tunnel. The Water Tunnel must be examined in two parts. Numbers 1-3 on the map

BONCUK ÇAYIRI SPRING- AYI PINARI ENTRANCE After the spring (Turkish pınar- su gözü), the water passed at first inside of a walled arch, then inside a tunnel, then through earthen pipe and then the tunnel again. The length of this part is 2,2 km. In this part of the system there is discharge canal. The villagers argue that they saw earthen pipes before but now we have no sample to see and determine the radius of it. The slope of aqueduct is 40m/2.200 m =0,02

AYI PINARI- ENERGY BREAKING POINT Ayi Pınarı is the only entrance to the tunnel in Fig.12. In these steep mountains (about 80 degree angle, water flowed the from horizontal line) the tunnel was constructed with horizontal shafts at approximately every 50 meters. In this part the length of the tunnel is 2 km. The total length of the tunnel is 4,2 km. The villagers called the holes of the horizontal shafts as “SIRA DELİKLER” (The line of the holes). It is possible to enter from these holes too. In these sections of the tunnel the height of the tunnel are about 3 or 4 meters, and the widths are about 2,5 or 3 meters in Fig 13-14-15-16

ENERGY BREAKING POINT At the end of the tunnel about 20 meters higher than the level of the ancient site. The water energy had to be reduced and for this a vertical well was constructed. Breaking system water energy in Water supply can be seen in the book of the author (Bildirici 1994) in Fig 18. After centuries dam in Modern Ermenek realizes this function of breaking energy in Fig.18

CISTERNS AND WELLS From the vertical well the water was collected and transported to cisterns. Today these monuments are filled with earth and require excavating. From these cisterns water flowed through earthen and lead to the houses and public buildings. The villagers insisted that they saw lead pipes however no examples were seen.

OTHER WATER TUNNELS *5 on the map references another water tunnel called “DEGİRMEN GÖZÜ” which means the spring of a mill. This tunnel in Fig. 20-21 is under main site of modern village of today. In ancient times it was used for irrigation and to operate water mills. Today the water is provided to houses of Yukarı Çaglar village by means of pumping.

SULU IN *13 on the map Suluin which means “Cave in Water”. It is half hand-excavated and half natural cave. It must be investigated more.

Fig.12 Ayı Pınarı (entrance to tunnel)

Fig.13 Water tunnel

Fig 14 Water tunnel

Fig.15-16 Sıra Delikler

Fig.17 Energy Breaking Point “Konya Tarihi Su Yapıları” Bildirici 1994

Fig.18 Breaking of Water Energy in modern Ermenek dam

Fig 19 Cisterns of ancient city

Fig.20 Degirmengözü tunnel

Fig 21 Degirmengözü ancient canal

Fig 22 Suluin (Cave with water)

WHEN WERE THESE WONDERFUL HYRAULIC MONUMENTS CONSTRUCTED Unfortunately there is no evidence to help to determine for this, and there is nothing in the literature about the monuments. Based on my investigating there might have been constructed during the second century AD in Roman era. We know that in these times strong Roman army in some cases had helped heavy underground constructions of the country.

WHEN IT WAS DESERTED Again it was not certain when the site was abandoned. In the 4th and 5th centuries the Isaurians rebelled against Roman rule and Arabians made attacks into Anatolia. These events may have led abandoning SBEDE. In the foundation of new houses in old site the traces of fire have been observed. But the people preserved their identity and settled in Yukarı Çağlar (*17 and *18 on the map) Svede as it was called in the Byzantine era and İZVİT as mentioned in Turkish times up to the 1950’s in Turkish Republic.

ARE THERE SIMILAR TUNNELS AROUND In Konya and Karaman provinces it is not possible to see any tunnels today. SBEDE IS THE QUEEN OF THE HYDRAULIC MONUMENTS OF THE REGION. Another similar water tunnels were constructed at the same time for DIOCAESERA (Uzuncaburç) in Silifke region however there were no photos inside tunnels available for comparison.

SPECIAL THANKS In a journey to Ermenek by the author and his friends from Konya Lisesi in October 2012, the documents of Author for Sbede were presented to Mayor of Ermenek and to Mayor of Güneyyurt Celil Güçlü. The author hopes that they will own the project and it will has needed excavating in Yukarı Çaglar. I also thanks to ALİ AKTÜRK and his family for everything for ancient Sbede. Abdullah Çıkrık with his wonderful Jeep we made a wonderful journey on the ground. This work was presented also to the 15th International Conference 2012 “Water in Antiquity” was held in Israel in October 2012. Prof. Dr. Henning Fahlbusch gave support for the proceeding. I thank to Prof. Fahlbusch too. And I also thank to my friend DENNIS MURPHY for his help in English text.

Fig. 23-24 Wonderful Water tunnels

Fig.25 Working Group in August 2011 at Yukarı Çaglar at the House of Aktürk family Abdullah Çıkrık, Father Mehmet Aktürk, Mehmet Bildirici, Guest Fehmi Ersoy and ALİ AKTÜRK

Fig. 26 BYZANTINE EMPEROR ZENON (474-491) FROM ERMENEK

FIGURES Figure 1 General plan of Ermenek and surrounding (Bildirici,M 2012) Figure 2 Aerial photo of the region (Google) Figure 3 Plan of ancient city, SBEDE Figure 4 The Rock tombs Figure 5 Keben, ancient road Figure 6 Keben ancient road Figure 7 Natural monument Figure 8 Mosque of Yukarı Çağlar (Yukarı İzvit) Figure 9 Head of a pillar from ancient city Figure 10 Arılık, Byzantine Church Figure 11 Arılık, Byzantine Church Figure 12 Ayı Pınarı, entrance to the tunnel Figure 13 Inside of the tunnel Figure 14 Inside of the tunnel Figure 15 Sıra Delikler (Hollows on the Lline) Figure 16 Sıra delikler (Hollows on the Line) Figure 17 The well of breaking water energy (Bildirici M) Figure 18 Modern Ermenek dam, breaking water energy Figure 19 Cisterns of the ancient site Figure 20 Değirmenlik tunnel Figure 21 Değirmenlik ancient canal Figure 22 Suluin Figure 23 Inside of the tunnel Figure 24 Inside of the tunnel Figure 25 Working on August 2011 Figure 26 Byzantine Emperor Zenon

REFERENCES Bean G, Mitfort T.B, 1970 “Journey to Rough Cilicia” Bildirici M, 1994 “Konya Tarihi Su Yapıları