Evaluation of conservation issues of the multilayered settlements: Foca

Anadolu is one of the most important regions in the history due to having cities that reflect the continuity of settlements. Every civilization with different cultural and social context has formed cities and given them multi-layered character. These multi-layered cities are under threat because of wrong planning decisions caused by the lack of dialogue between the disciplines of archeology and planning, improper infrastructure works for urban development, illicit digging and insufficient public awareness about the importance of cultural heritage. It is vital to protect historical stratification and provide modern city's development together. Urban archeology has emerged in Europe to suggest solutions for multi-layered cities' problems. However, this method is adopted lately in Turkey. Therefore, cities are losing the traces of historical heritage, but there are still some settlements with different historical layers. Eski Foça is one of the multi-layered cities with several historical periods: Prehistoric Period, Archaic Period, Classical Period, Hellenistic Period, Roman Period, Byzantine Period, Genoese Period, and Ottoman-Turkish Period. This research aims to examine nine historical layers of Eski Foça and create layer maps with data about nine periods. These nine maps superposed and determined multi-layered areas of the city. Inventory work was carried out and conservation issues have been identified in the multi-layered areas. Sixteen projects selected from Europe grouped under six headings and evaluated to solve the conservation issues. Focusing on this aim, historical stratification of Eski Foça is analyzed and proposed three different presentation approaches for multi-layered area. The pros and cons of different presentation approaches are discussed.