RACCTURK: Rock-cut Architecture and Christian Communities in Turkey, from Antiquity to 1923

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Churches carved into the rock have a story to tell. Despite their large number world-wide, they have not received as much attention as masonry-built churches in archaeological studies. This situation is usually explained by the difficulty to date these structures, by the lack of knowledge on their place within local historical landscapes and on their biography as living heritage. These issues have prevented researchers from using rock-cut churches as valuable sources to investigate the Christian communities and the settlement history of their landscape. The innovative project Rock-cut Architecture and Christian Communities in Turkey, from Late Antiquity to 1923 (RACCTURK), focuses on these issues by developing a mix-method approach and asking original questions: How much do rock-cut churches contribute to the understanding of economic structure, social networks and occupation strategies of religious rural communities over time? The project will take place in Cappadocia (Turkey), focusing on the valley of Koramaz - inscribed on the tentative list of UNESCO - where a dense network of rock-cut churches is preserved as well as built and rock-cut monuments from Antiquity until the departure of the Christian communities from the region in 1923. The project' multi-method merges historical landscape characterization method, building archaeology, social anthropology, geology and geomatics. It aims to provide researchers with methodological and theoretical landmarks to reconsider rock-cut churches as valuable archaeological sources. RACCTURK will promote Cultural Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage for the benefit of rural communities, strengthen the research exchanges between European and Turkish scholars as well as partnership between private and academic sectors in the Cultural Heritage promotion. By providing digital tools on the Cappadocian Christian Cultural Heritage, RACCTURK will help to develop sustainable tourism oriented towards European citizens.