Folk medicine and traditional treatment methods related to folk medicine in Burdur

This study examines folk medicine practices and the traditional treatment methods used within this framework in the province of Burdur, Türkiye. The research area includes the city center of Burdur and the districts of Ağlasun, Altınyayla, Bucak, Çavdır, Çeltikçi, Gölhisar, Karamanlı, Kemer, Tefenni, and Yeşilova, covering a total of 11 municipalities, 193 villages, and 127 neighborhoods. The thesis consists of an introduction and three main chapters. The introduction presents the aim, methodology, scope, and fieldwork details of the study, along with the geographical and socio-economic features of Burdur. The first chapter defines the concept of folk medicine, outlines its historical development within Turkish culture, and discusses traditional healers such as şaman, kam, bakşı, and otacı. It also explores the symbolic relationship between natural elements such as fire, water, stone, and trees and healing practices. In the second chapter, traditional treatment methods observed in Burdur during field research are analyzed. These include practices for physical ailments such as headaches, digestive issues, musculoskeletal and skin disorders, as well as for psychological conditions like afakan (anxiety) and al basması (postpartum distress or sleep paralysis). Traditional methods related to women's health, infant care, and child well-being are also documented. The third chapter evaluates sacred places visited for healing purposes such as tombs, shrines, healing springs, and wishing trees and their role within local belief systems. This thesis aims to contribute to the preservation and academic analysis of traditional knowledge by documenting the folk medicine practices still maintained in the Burdur region. This research was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (Project No: 0996-YL-24).