Gravestones of the villages of Havran (Çamdibi, Büyükdere and Temaşalık)

Belief in life after life since the first human being has affected all societies from east to west. The fact that the time spent with the existence of life wears people out over time and brings them closer to death has created the necessity of hiding the body of the deceased. Grave monuments found in geographies where Anatolia and Turks have interacted throughout history offer a rich cultural heritage reminiscent of open-air museums. Çamdibi Village, Büyükdere Village and Temaşalık Village located in Havran district were determined as the research area. Havran is a district of Balıkesir province in western Turkey and has hosted various civilizations throughout its history. The last period of the Ottoman Empire left its mark on the region, and tombstones from this period are a valuable resource for understanding the local history and cultural context. The gravestones in Havran villages are rare historical documents bearing the traces of the Ottoman Empire. These stones are of great importance in shedding light on the history of the region, understanding the cultural riches and passing them on to future generations. The aim of our thesis is to understand the inscriptions, decorations and identities of the grave owners on these stones and to explore the history of Havran villages in more depth. In the research where the qualitative research method was used, the gravestones were examined on-site with the method called field study or natural study. 64 gravestones in the cemeteries within the research area were photographed and catalogued. The gravestones were subjected to transcription studies in terms of their location, person they belong to, date, technique, material, inscription, type of writing and general information. Of the gravestones examined, 35 (Catalog No: 1-35) are in Çamdibi Neighborhood Cemetery, 10 (Catalog No: 36-45) are in Temaşalık Neighborhood Cemetery, and 19 (Catalog No: 45-64) are in Büyükdere. It is in the Neighborhood Cemetery. Of the 64 tombstones examined, 5 were found to belong to the 18th century, 29 to the 19th century and 29 to the 20th century. The date of only one stone could not be determined. Among the tombstones examined, 30 were male tombstones and 34 were female tombstones. The material used in the construction of the stones is marble in all of them. It is among the results of the research that the carving-relief technique was used on all of the stones. It is thought that this research conducted on gravestones from the Ottoman Period in Çamdibi, Büyükdere and Temaşalık villages of Havran will contribute to Turkey's rich cultural heritage and emphasize the historical and cultural importance of Havran district. Keywords: Grave, Gravestone, Grave Culture, Havran, Ottoman Period.