A comparative evaluation of 7-9 age group children's drawings with Karatepe Aslantaş Open Air Museum stone monument works in the transfer of cultural heritage

The subject of the study titled "A Comparative Evaluation of 7-9 Year Old Children's Paintings with the Stone Monumental Works of Karatepe-Aslantaş Open Air Museum in the Transfer of Cultural Heritage" is to examine the function of children's paintings as a tool in transferring cultural heritage to future generations. For this purpose, Karatepe-Aslantaş Open Air Museum, located within the borders of Osmaniye province and containing magnificent works of the Late Hittite Period, was chosen as the research area. This museum, which archaeologist Halet Çambel worked hard to establish throughout her life, is one of the world's few archaeological open-air sites with its unique exhibition methods. Drawings of Hittite works were carried out in the open air area of the museum with the participation of children aged 7-9, representing the schematic period, one of the stages of child's artistic development. Before the study, the museum was introduced to the children, information was given about the Hittite civilization and the importance of cultural heritage was explained. Children's drawings were evaluated by three experts in the field with the help of the "Painting Evaluation Scale". When expert evaluations were examined, it was seen that children successfully transferred their cultural heritage through painting. The children participating in this research learned the meaning of Hittite works, understood the necessity of museums, established the relationship between the works in the museum and the environment, and understood the importance of cultural heritage. Key words: Cultural Heritage, Children's Paintings, Late Hittite Period, Karatepe-Aslantaş Open Air Museum