Cult of the Nicholaos Of Sion and Christian Turks In The Arycandos Valley

Within the scope of the Medieval studies carried out in Arykandos Valley in Antalya/Finike between 2013-2018, a number of petroglyphs belonging to the cult of Saint Nicholas of Sion who lived in sixth century and some settlements and religious locations were identified. Depictions that certainly belong to the miracles of the Christian Saint, some other human figures, style critics of cross sections and some datas carrying the characteristics of Turkic tribes point out that these were made by christian Turks. According to dating, these datas might originate from around 560-600. The historical stories of Tahtachi (lumberjack) Turkmen settlements, periods, works and customs have been examined deeply; as a result, it has been found out that they lived with Bulgarians for couple ages when they came here. It points out a traditional relationship that some rituals and customs that these Tahtachi Turkmens adopted can also be seen both in Central Asia and Bulgaria. As a result, after the collapse of Hun existence that reached Balkans following the North of Blacksea, the encounter of Bulgarian Turks entering Anatolia in fifth century with Oghuz Tahtachis coming to the same location over caucasus after 1071 has been revealed with both material and abstract remnants. These Uruks who lived together belonging to two different religions until 20.century and regarded themselves as two different nations despite being united originally, eventually became enemies and sided against each other as a result of historical unconsciousness. Ottoman archives show that while Christian Bulgarian Turks, who regarded Ottoman Turks as enemy, retreated to the mountains and became bandits; Oghuz Tahtachi Turks who pursued them thinking that they were Greek became the losing side of this tragic story.