Stone in Turkish culture of the Anatolian region

In humanity's effort to make sense of the world around them, nature has emerged as the most fundamental area of inquiry and discovery. As a result, humans have viewed nature and its elements as a significant part of their world of meaning. In this search for meaning, people have also attributed special meanings to stones. Throughout history, the meaning of stones has taken shape in similar ways across different geographies and cultures. Each culture has incorporated the vital and sacred properties of stones into its belief system and turned them into cultural objects. Thanks to this sacred status, stones have become respected and revered entities that leave deep traces in the spiritual world of humans. Reflections of the vital and sacred properties of stones can also be seen in the Sky God belief, which is deeply rooted in Turkish culture. During this period, Turks accepted that stones, like other elements in nature, had a spirit and possessed hidden powers, as a reflection of the earth-water belief and ancestor cult. For this reason, they attributed different meanings to various stones and developed many beliefs and practices around them. They wished for prosperity, good luck, and health by visiting stones, walking around them, passing through them, touching them, kissing them, carrying them, or keeping them in their homes. The process from the belief in the Sky God to the acceptance of Islam led to the rituals related to stones, like many other beliefs and practices in the cultural memory of the Turks, taking on a new form. During this process, the meanings attributed to stones and the practices related to them managed to survive by acquiring an Islamic identity. In this context, some stones considered sacred in ancient Turkish beliefs gained new meaning in the Islamic period by being associated with the graves of saints, shrines, or sacred places. These stones were visited to seek healing or make wishes. The beliefs and practices related to stones seen in many parts of Anatolia today are living witnesses to this cultural continuity. Considering these beliefs and practices, which are still alive in Anatolia, it is evident that stone is a phenomenon laden with symbolic meanings in Turkish culture. The study examines the subject of stone in Turkish culture based on the phenomenological method and the functional theory of folklore. The aim of our study is to reveal the place of stone in Turkish culture based on the shared experiences of individuals. In this context, the importance and position of stone in the human-nature-sacred triangle has been determined in light of concrete data from folk beliefs and practices and folk medicine practices in Anatolia. In addition, in order to understand the social and cultural fabric of Anatolia, the characteristics of stones used in sympathetic spells, children's games and stones that constitute cultural heritage have been emphasized. In this way, an attempt has been made to show how stones symbolize specific and general meanings in Turkish culture and how they contribute to the formation of national culture.