Student:	Güler ERÜZ
Supervisor:	Assis. Prof. Dr. Ömer İskender TULUK
Department:	Mimarlık
Institution:	Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences
University:	Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey

Title of the Thesis:	MINE VILLAGE SETTLEMETS OF KURUM VALLEY IN GÜMÜŞHANE, TURKEY
Level:	Ph.D.
Acceptance Date:	6/3/2009
Number of Pages:	312
Registration Number:	Di679

Summary:

Subject of this study is to identify architectural properties of historical Kurum

Town in Gumushane Province in Turkey. The area is geographical and cultural passage

and Imera region where mining has been important from antiquity to today and are on the

historical Silk Road.

Primary aim of this study is to determine the effects of geography, topography,

mining areas and structural materials on the location, planning and embodiment civil and

religious architecture of Kromni.

In this study, firstly, geographic, geologic structure, mines, history of region and

settlement, history of Gumushane and Kurum mines from antiquity to today were

investigated. Imera, which is in the study are and the largest settlement of 19th century in

Kurum Valley.

Genuine religious and civil buildings from Imera and Kurum centers and districts

which are the biggest settlement area were determined by using in situ measurement,

photography techniques and building and settlement inventory were prepared. Plan types

and materials, geographic properties of buildings, approximity to mines and historical

roads, social status of settlements were determined and relationship between these and

religious beliefs were examined.

In the light of this study, it is established that the most important effects on the

settlement and development of the region are the mining from antiquity to today and

passage of historical Silk Road from region.

It is understood that climate, topography, availability of building material, social

status, and cultural effects were played important roles in selecting types and forms of the

most common buildings in the region. Although, form of houses belongs to Muslim and

Christian Orthodox Ottomans were not under the religios and ethnic effect, but, depending

on religious believes, some differences in usage were found (especially in kitchen).

Key Words: Gümüşhane, Torul, Kurum River Basin (Gorom, Krom, Korum, Kromni),

Rural House Architecture , Settlement of Miners, Silk Road