Folk beliefs and folk medicine in the İscehisar district of Afyonkarahisar

This study examines the beliefs and healing practices, or folk medicine, of the local population in the İscehisar district of Afyonkarahisar, based onİscehisar, Afyonkarahisar, based on field research, historical sources, and data derived from interviews. Among the daily-life guiding folk beliefs in the district, shrine visits, vows, the evil eye practices, and superstitions are prominent. The findings indicate that regional beliefs have been shaped through the interaction of shamanic/Tengri patterns with Jewish, Christian, and Islamic elements. Furthermore, it has been observed that some of the beliefs in İscehisar align with Islamic teachings, while others take the form of superstitions or folk beliefs. This demonstrates that despite new religious affiliations, historical beliefs and cultural ties have not been entirely severed and continue to persist.Additionally, solutions to health problems encountered throughout human history have been developed through observation of the surrounding environment and trial-and-error evaluation of natural resources. Within this context, folk medicine, particularly in Turkish culture, constitutes a widespread practice area encompassing herbal, animal-based, and spiritual applications. In İscehisar, these practices continue in the form of herbal remedies, ocak-based treatments, spiritual cleansing, and exorcism rituals.Moreover, resorting to these practices when modern medicine proves insufficient serves not only the purpose of physical healing but also provides psychological relief and fosters social solidarity. In conclusion, it has been determined that local beliefs and folk medicine practices in the region constitute a multi-layered cultural structure. In this respect, the study contributes to the field of the History of Religions. Nonetheless, documenting and critically analyzing the folk beliefs and folk medicine of İscehisar through interdisciplinary approaches is necessary for both academic and societal awareness. Keywords: History of Religions, Afyonkarahisar-İscehisar, Folk Beliefs-Folk Medicine, Superstition, Ocak Tradition.