Stonemasons' marks on caravanserais of the Anatolian Seljuk Period (1200-1250)

It is known that stonemason's marks have been used as a part of stone architecture in many civilizations since the First Age. Stonemason's marks can be defined as the marks engraved or painted on the stone by the masons who cut/shape the stone in order to indicate their identity, to show the work done in order to receive payment, or to indicate the dimensions of the stone they cut or the place where the stone will be used. Although there are various studies on their use in Antiquity and Medieval Europe, the subject of stonemason's marks in Anatolian Turkish Architecture has not been dealt with in depth. Especially in Anatolian Seljuk Period Architecture, stonemason's marks, which are encountered in many buildings, can make important contributions to solving the existing problems about the stylistic similarities of the buildings with each other and the construction activities and building process of the period. In this thesis, 45 caravanserais built between 1200-1250 in the Anatolian Seljuk Period were analysed and 28 of them were found to contain stonemason's marks. The stonemason's marks on these 28 structures were documented through field studies, brought together and classified. In addition, signs identified by other researchers in buildings that are not within the scope of the subject were also included in this catalogue. The nature of the stonemason's marks has been analysed through these data, and their contribution to Anatolian Seljuk Architecture has been evaluated through concrete evidence.