A study on awareness of urban archaeologicial sites: The case of Kayseri

Urban archeology is a field that seeks solutions to the problems that arise due to methodological and legal inadequacies in multi-layered cities in the changing conditions of the world. In urban archaeology, it is aimed at evaluating the relevant research and integrating it with urban life in order to transfer the layers to the future in a healthy way. Urban archeology is a new approach that includes conservation and rescue plans for archaeological sites in and around the city center and makes them visible to citizens. It is a matter of displaying the past and the present in a holistic way. It covers the archaeological data and all the actions taken in the living city. In the period between the World Wars, studies in the field of urban archeology were started in order to prevent the destruction caused by the war. During the reconstruction process of urban archeology, research on the past of European cities was conducted, and findings were obtained. While these studies were handled within the scope of rescue archeology with partial and rapid excavations in the 1940s, in the 1960s and onwards, the concepts of urban conservation and integrated conservation began to be used, and suggestions based on planning were presented. Social change and the economic situation were decisive in the period from 1980 onwards. During this period, the importance of interdisciplinary studies in the conservation planning process was emphasized in the Washington Charter. In the Integrated Conservation Plans between 1990 and 2000, it was expressed that unique works should be protected and that multifaceted arrangements should be made. It has been stated that the protection of the archaeological heritage should be considered a moral duty; it should be supported by laws; the necessary financial resources should be provided for its effective management; and at the same time, research should be obliged to follow up. The developments observed in the period from 2000 to the present day include ensuring the closeness between the city and its citizens, preventing destruction, carrying out comprehensive studies with different methods with the removal of strict interdisciplinary boundaries, and creating decision support systems with the development of information technologies. In this period, the Valletta principles are the most comprehensive principles when talking about archaeological remains. It seems that urban archeology studies started in our country in the 1990s, but it is noteworthy that they have not yet reached the desired level. Although the awareness of people living in Kayseri regarding urban archaeological sites is the main subject of our study, findings regarding urban attitudes and behavior have also been obtained. The city is one of the important centers, with many settlements. For this reason, public awareness affects the attitude towards cultural heritage items and allow cultural heritage items to survive. In this study, a survey technique was used to measure the observations of people living in Kayseri regarding the archaeological site in their environment. The survey study aimed to obtain outputs regarding the archaeological site visits of the people living in Kayseri and their archaeological knowledge and experiences about the city. The survey also includes perception and awareness questions to measure attitudes and knowledge towards Kayseri's archaeological history and settlements. Giving a new perspective to the field of urban archeology is also among the goals. It has been observed that urban archeology, which emerged due to the lack of conservation and rescue attitudes and suggestions in archaeological studies, has difficulty attracting sufficient interest and awareness. Although it seems that the studies carried out are not at a sufficient level, it is emphasized in the literature that interest in the subject is increasing and that there is a need to develop a comprehensive approach for each region in the studies. In this research conducted with 300 participants, it is seen that the individuals in the sample group are of different ages, genders, and income levels. It has been observed that this diversity, which is also observed in other variables, has an impact on the awareness levels of individuals. Another issue is that there are problems with access to archaeological sites. While it has been observed that internet users can access more information on this subject, it has been determined that there are deficiencies in other areas. Again, the studies carried out by municipalities regarding this situation, whether close to or far from the city, also play an important role. As a result, it is seen that the archaeological knowledge of the people living in Kayseri about the city is not at a sufficient level. In this sense, the way to preserve the history, memory, and cultural heritage of the city is through increasing awareness studies in the field of urban archaeology. With new local and general policies to be developed, the connections between the city and its citizens can be strengthened, and a sustainable structure can be achieved. Keywords: Urban, Archaeology, Awareness