An assessment tool for human-induced risks in archaeological sites- an evaluation on the Ancient City of Anazarbos

In this study, following the determination of the human-induced risks that constitute significant danger for cultural heritage areas, it is aimed to evaluate the importance, effects and types of risks occurring within archaeological sites and to develop a risk assessment tool focusing on data gathered in the Ancient City of Anazarbos. Within this aim national excavation reports, archives of Adana Museum, questionnaires undertaken with leaders of excavations in Çukurova Region, directors of Adana Museum, Adana Regional Preservation Board and Adana Survey and Monuments Directorate, and the residents of Dilekkaya village nested with the Ancient City of Anazarbos which was chosen as a case were the main materials used for the study. The method adopted for the study comprised of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Super Decisions program aiming to obtain quantitative data to analyze. AHP was designed as a questionnaire form that allows each risk factor to be evaluated in pairs against each other, and the values obtained were analyzed using the "Super Decisions" program. As a result of the analysis, three different value tables were obtained, including the main human-induced risk factors, sub-risk factors, and the combined evaluation results of the main risk factors and sub-risk factors. The results obtained from the excavation reports were also evaluated and showed that illegal excavation was the most dangerous risk. When the evaluation results of the leaders of excavations and institution representatives were compared with the results gathered from the case study, it was observed that there were changes in the order of importance of illegal construction, which was the first-degree risk factor, and other risk factors in the Ancient City of Anazarbos. This study shows that the changes in the order of importance of human-induced risks are directly affected by the relationship of the archaeological area with the settlement. Similarly, the nature of the archaeological site is also related to the order of importance of risk factors and affects the steps to be followed in risk management. With the risk assessment tool that is created as a result of the study, an inventory sheet was produced that will help experts working in the field. Keywords: Risk management, Cultural heritage, Human-induced risks, Ancient City of Anazarbos