Sinclair, Eastern Turkey Survey vol. I (1987)
[Bibliography]

Civilizations of great diversity have succeeded each other or co-existed in Eastern Anatolia (East Turkey), and most of them have left monuments of high quality. Hittite, Urartian, Hellenistic, Roman, Syrian, Byzantine, Armenian, Arab, Seljuk, Turcoman and Ottoman, their remains are all represented in the region. These include some of the most important sites in Near Eastern archaeology, in regions in and near the heartland of the Hittite and Urartian cultures. The Hellenistic cities reflect the introduction of a new civilization, and the Roman and Byzantine empires included all or part of the region, with the prosperous feudal states of Georgia and Armenia on their borders. Besides the Byzantine, three great East Christian monastic traditions, Syrian, Georgian and Armenian, flourished here from the late fourth century onwards, and their monuments have left a permanent mark on the landscape.

The Seljuk, Turcoman and later Mongol invasions (11-13th centuries), followed by the more recent period of Ottoman rule, led to the imposition of a new culture on the region and its reflection in the monuments. Some of the finest Seljuk buildings are in Eastern Turkey, and the buildings of the Turkish states east of the Seljuk Empire form much of the early history of Turkish Pre-Ottoman architecture. The independent Greek Empire of Trebizond and two of the four Crusader states lay in Eastern Turkey. The lands of the empires and the smaller medieval states were heavily fortified, and their castles and other fortifications are now spread over the region. The cultural diversity of its inheritance has made Eastern Turkey one of the most fascinating regions for archaeological and art-historical research.

These four volumes (published from 1987 to 1990) provide the first comprehensive topographical and archaeological guide to all of the important historical sites of the region, the result of eight years of travel and research. The monuments are dealt with by geographical location, including a full description of each site, and details on how it can be reached. In the case of the more important monuments, a full bibliography of earlier work is provided. The ample provision of photographs and plans enhances the value of the author's detailed descriptions. Thus, this is not a usual ‘guidebook’ for usual tourists. One has to study the over 2,000 pages work, or the part which interests him, in order to plan an archaeological trip with a great part of explorations; and even more just to study Sinclair’s work as a reference book for places which are out of the bitten track. But have in mind that Turkey has changed a lot during the last twenty five years. Even Sinclair wouldn’t recognize some of these hidden sites or forgotten towns of Anatolia.

Contents of the First Volume: Part One: Introduction pp. I-XIII, 1-172. ‘The Buildings’, ‘The Buildings in History’, ‘The Buildings and the Present’. Part Two: Regional Chapters pp. 173-454. Chapter I ‘Urartu and Vaspurakan. The Van Region’ pp. 175-343, Bibliography pp. 343-345; see also Addenda and Corrigenda p. 454. Chapter II ‘Kars and Ararat’ pp. 347-452, Bibliography pp. 452-453; see also Addenda and Corrigenda p. 454. Map p. 455. Plates 1-118 pp. 457-520. Plans are included in text. See General Bibliography and Index to all four volumes at the last part of vol. IV.

Hardcover, pages XIII, 1-520