The Sarcophagus of a Nicaean Emperor in Izmir

In this brief paper a marble slab fragment from Izmir in Western Turkey is presented. Originally its description was published by Ch. Texier in 1844 and later deemed missing. We believe that it is an imperial sarcophagus and that it may belong to the emperor of Nicaea, Theodore II Lascaris.

Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma across Three Generations of Alevi Kurds

Background: Thus far, most researchers on genocide and transgenerational transmissions have focused on the National Socialist Holocaust as the most abhorrent example of this severe human rights violation. Few data have been published on other ethnic or religious groups affected by genocidal actions in this context. Methodology: Using a mixed-method approach integrating qualitative interviews with standardized instruments (SCID and PDS), this study examines how individual and collective trauma have been handed down across three generations in an Alevi Kurd community whose members (have) suffered genocidal perpetrations over a longer time period (a “genocidal environment”). Qualitative, open-ended interviews with members of three generations answering questions yielded information on (a) how their lives are shaped by the genocidal experiences from the previous generation and related victim experiences, (b) how the genocidal events were communicated in family narratives, and (c) coping strategies used. The first generation is the generation which directly suffered the genocidal actions. The second generation consists of children of those parents who survived the genocidal actions. Together with their family (children, partner, relatives), this generation suffered forced displacement. Members of the third generation were born in the diaspora where they also grew up. Results: Participants reported traumatic memories, presented in examples in this publication. The most severe traumatic memories included the Dersim massacre in 1937–1938 in Turkey, with 70,000–80,000 victims killed, and the enforced resettlement in western Turkey. A content analysis revealed that the transgenerational transmission of trauma continued across three generations. SCID and PDS data indicated high rates of distress in all generations. Conclusions: Genocidal environments such as that of the Kurdish Alevis lead to transgenerational transmission mediated by complex factors.

Garnet Chemical Zoning Based Thermobarometry: Method Evaluation and Applications in the Menderes Massif, Western Turkey

The garnet chemical zoning method (GZM) is a reliable thermodynamic approach for forward modeling pressure-temperature (P-T) paths using observed garnet and bulk rock compositions. However, intracrystalline diffusion is known to compromise the integrity of GZM modeled garnet-growth P-T paths. For this reason, extracting reliable metamorphic estimates from garnet-bearing schists in the Central Menderes Massif (CMM), western Turkey, has been difficult. To evaluate the impact of diffusion on GZM, we simulate garnet growth and diffusion for an average metapelite using the program Theria_G. Modeled garnet compositions from four simulations are used to estimate P-T conditions and paths by GZM, which are compared against Theria_G specified P-T-t trajectories. Factors influencing results are heating/cooling rate, grain size, and peak T. At a maximum T of 610 °C, both undiffused and diffused garnet compositions returned estimates comparable to prescribed conditions regardless of heating/cooling rate. Diffused profiles from simulations reaching a maximum T of 670 °C also reproduced prescribed P-T paths if tectonism occurred at high heating/cooling rates (50 °C/my). From these insights and additional Theria_G simulation-derived observations for CMM garnets, we deduce that metamorphism in the region exceeded 650 °C and achieved a maximum burial P between 8–10 kbar prior to Cenozoic exhumation.

Of Animal Husbandry and Food Production—A First Step towards a Modular Agent-Based Modelling Platform for Socio-Ecological Dynamics

Agent-based models provide detailed, bottom-up approaches to investigate complex socio-ecological systems. This study presents a first step towards a modular agent-based simulation that is based upon empirical data, as well as environmental suitability maps and an assessment of livestock units. To illustrate the capabilities of our simulation, we use a geographically explicit approach to simulate a component of the production of animal products of a rural settlement in the lower Bakırçay catchment, western Turkey. The model structurally couples various agent types representing several elements and processes of the animal husbandry and food production value chain, such as sedentary herders—practising daily, short-distance pastoralism—and their flocks of goats and sheep, as well as milking and slaughtering. The modelling tool captures the fundamental socio-ecological dynamics of animal husbandry and food production in rural settlements. Therefore, the tool is valuable as a basis to discuss hypotheses regarding the number of animals that are needed to cover the requirements of different growing populations.

20th years’ results of Cedrus species and provenance adaptation trials established in cool and semi-arid variant of supra-mediterranean bioclimatic stratum’s in the south western Turkey

Twenty provenances of Atlas Cedar, three provenances of Lebanon Cedar and two provenances of Cyprus Cedar had subjected to 20 year adaptation trials in Soutwestern Mediterrenean Elmalı and Keçiborlu locations where Supra-Mediterranean (cool,semi-arid) Bioclimatic conditions prevail. According to 20 year’s results, it was determined that Algerian Atlas cedar, Lebanon cedar and Cyprus cedar provenances had adaptation capability to mentioned conditions. Nevertheless, Morocco provenances of Atlas cedar had lower adaptation hence vulnerability to expected climate change due to global warming.

The First Record of Eotrigonobalanus Furcinervis (Fagaceae) from the Oligocene of the Thrace Basin, Western Turkey

Eotrigonobalanus furcinervis was recorded for the first time from the Oligocene sediments of the Thrace Basin. The species was discovered in the upper part of the Danişmen Formation from the Marmaraereglisi Area, southeastern the Basin. Eotrigonobalanus furcinervis appeared in large numbers early during the early Paleocene–late Oligocene localities in Europe; especially in Thrace of Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. Therefore, this data is valuable as the first recording for Thrace Basin.

Seismic Activity of the Manisa Fault Zone in Western Turkey Constrained by Cosmogenic 36Cl Dating

This study reports on the cosmogenic 36Cl dating of two normal fault scarps in western Turkey, that of the Manastır and Mugırtepe faults, beyond existing historical records. These faults are elements of the western Manisa Fault Zone (MFZ) in the seismically active Gediz Graben. Our modeling revealed that the Manastır fault underwent at least two surface ruptures at 3.5 ± 0.9 ka and 2.0 ± 0.5 ka, with vertical displacements of 3.3 ± 0.5 m and 3.6 ± 0.5 m, respectively. An event at 6.5 ± 1.6 ka with a vertical displacement of 2.7 ± 0.4 m was reconstructed on the Mugırtepe fault. We attribute these earthquakes to the recurring MFZ ruptures, when also the investigated faults slipped. We calculated average slip rates of 1.9 and 0.3 mm yr−1 for the Manastır and Mugırtepe faults, respectively.