Kuzeydoğu Anadolu'da Yeni Bir Kaya Mezarı: Karapınar

Northeastern Anatolia is one of the most important gateways of Anatolia since ancient times thanks to its strategic location. As the scene of settlement throughout the history due to this characteristic, the region experienced an intense settlement with Bronze Age. After this settlement activity, several centres were established, and road networks and irrigation facilities were built. Beginning from the Bronze Age, as a result of these settlements, religions and, therefore, belief in afterlife and entombment traditions varied and developed. Within this variety, the most important entombment method seen in Northeastern Anatolia is rock-cut tomb, with the most elaborate craftsmanship devoted to upper class. To our knowledge, today the number of rock-cut tombs identified with Iron Age in Eastern Anatolia is nearly sixty. These tombs are divided into two main classes as one-roomed and two-roomed. Moreover, different examples are present with construction and usage characteristics. However, two-storey rock-out tombs are very few. Karapınar Rock-cut Tomb, as a new example for these centres, stands as the second example in Eastern Anatolia. Rock-cut tomb is located on the 3 km west of Karapınar Village on the 37 km south of Sarıkamış, Kars. The centre is the crossroad of the historical roads leading from both Caucasia and Central Asia to Anatolia, and it is right on the south coast of Aras River. Compared to written documents in that environment, centres of Bronze and Iron Age, and similar rock-cut tombs in Eastern Anatolia, Karapınar Rock-cut Tomb, with its rare two-storey structure, definitely bears a great importance for the evaluation of entombment traditions of Eastern Anatolia.