Hellenistic architecture of Kurul Fortress

The Kurul Fortress is located at the side of Melet River (Melanthios) which seperates the Central and Eastern Black Sea Sections and approximately nine kilometers south from Black Sea (Pontos Axsenos/Euxenos) coastal line as the crow flies. The archaeological excavations which have been conducted continuously from 2010 to 2019 have presented very significant outcomes for the Black Sea and Anatolian archaeology. The archaeological data which based upon settlement and architecture that have been unearthed since 2010 were studied in the scope of PhD thesis titled "Hellenistic Architecture of the Kurul Fortress". Thirty eight structures which were unearthed in Kurul Fortress examined in two different terms as "Rock" and "Room" architecture. It is expressed that quantitative-qualitative observations and data about elements that constituted the settlement texture and; furthermore, several suggestions regarding possible function of these structures were propounded. The structures and architectural techniques of the Kurul Fortress were evaluated by comparing with other architectural data from the Hellenistic period which can be observed in the Pontos Region. The laboratory analysis of the materials which were used in the architecture was carried out and their characters and archaeometric specifications were presented. It is understood that Kurul Fortress was active predominately in the period of Mithradates VI. The architectural evaluation of the Kurul Fortress is very important for determining the settlement character of the fortress and possible functions of the buildings and spaces; the reflection of the cultic activities on the structures and forming a scientific basis for the future excavations in the region.