Water cult and proprietors in Bursa/Gemlik

Water is the essence of creation. Just as the soil of the universe described in the myths comes out of water, it is water that forms the essence of man. Water that is integrated with the universe has gained sanctity. A compilation study on the cult of water and water science was carried out in Gemlik and its villages. In these studies, the cult of water; it has been found to be reflected in rain prayer, folk medicine and transitional periods. Although the source of the rituals in the rain prayer is unknown, it is the reflection of the rain calling rituals in the ancient Turks to the present day. In folk medicine, the cult of water has come to the fore in the treatment methods that people have found thanks to trial and error. It has been determined that the sanctity of water is utilized in treatment methods. In addition, water acts as a threshold. The threshold indicates the transition of the universe and man, and it is water that helps in this transition. Water protects the person who is vulnerable to evil spirits during the transition. Another issue identified in Gemlik is "water houses". Water bodies protect the area they are the protector of and punish people against insults to these areas. For this reason, the people of Gemlik have gone to various practices to protect themselves, such as obtaining permission from the water or not polluting the water. The fact that the water houses punished the people caused various names in the local people. These nomenclatures are often differentiated from good to bad. In the villages where the study is carried out, those who are thought to be evil and harmful to people are given the names "jinn, three-letter, devil, çinka" (Çinka is the Laz name given in Laz villages); those who are good, beautiful and do not harm are often called "nymphs". Although the names of the iyes, which are generally believed to exist by the flowing water (stream, river, etc.) in the villages, vary in their descriptions, their descriptions are similar. The blond-haired water mole (water nymph) that appears in the moonlight is located in almost every village. Apart from the flowing waters, the structures built by human hands are also protected by the water houses. The protective spirits of fountains, baths, mills and water wells are water houses. The belief that water bodies existed in these regions revealed a certain rules and practices on people. In Gemlik villages, the practices are carried out in order to protect themselves and to prevent the iyes from harming themselves. The aim of the thesis is that in the past periods, especially the study on water iyeleri was not included within the scope of the thesis and this study is one of the rare studies on both Gemlik and water cults and iyes. Villages and towns of Gemlik district were visited and compilation (field work) was done.