HISTORY OF BAFRA/ THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS

HISTORY OF BAFRA/ THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS

A-INTRODUCTION

It is not possible to keep the history of Bafra apart from the history of Anatolia (Little Asia) as Anatolia has hosted many different nations and cultures on its territories for thousands of years. Having surrounded by sea in three directions, being a connecting point in marine and land transport between Europe and Africa, also offering favorable weather conditions, fertile soil and abundant water sources, Anatolia has been the center of migrations and invasions during the history. Societies migrating and invasing have also brought their cultures and civilizations within Anatolia. Bafra, on the other hand, hugs all these features by being a part of Anatolia. This makes both Anatolia and Bafra the cradle of civilizations.

B-EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS OF ANATOLIA

A-Paleolithic/Epipaleolithic Age (Stone Age)

Earliest settlements of Anatolia take place in this age, starting long before the human life starts and lasting till 10.000 B.C. approximately, which is known as the longest era of the cultural periods and called as Paleolithic/ Epipaleolithic Age (Stone Age).

B-Neolithic Age (New Stone Age)

Dated back to the period starting just before 10.000 B.C., Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) is an era distinguished by a transition from hunting-collecting to producing and from nomadic to settled lives. Also called as the “Transition to Producing Period”, Neolithic Age witnesses increase in settlements. Some 400 and more settlements in Anatolia are confirmed within this age.

C-Chalcolithic Age (Copper-Stone Age)

Named as Chalcolithic Age (Copper-Stone Age) due to both copper and stone usage, this age has the earliest evidence for complex societies in the cultural history. Although new findings say that mine processing was first seen in the no-earthenware stage of the Neolithic Age, it is known that mine usage was varied and became widespread in this age. Dated back to 5000-3000 B.C. roughly, Chalcolithic Age is analyzed in three phases, First, Mid and Final. Improved agriculture and livestock farming made human beings’ social changes faster in this era. Different business groups such as managers, reverends, artisans were first seen and also defense and irrigation systems, long-distance trade, luxurious/prestigious commerce were all developed in Chalcolithic Age. As a result, the number of settlements in Anatolia increased to 1200 and one of the most important of all is Ikiztepe (Bafra/Samsun).

D- Early Bronze Age:

Early Bronze Age is dated roughly between 3.000-2.000 B.C. in Anatolia and Thrace Region, and is characterized by organized, fortified, independent city-states over which temples and administrative buildings were constructed. This era witnesses new social, religious and technologic changes.

One of the striking mining developments within this era is the appearance of bronze, thanks to mixture of copper and stannic. Graveyards including gifts which were made from precious metal like gold and silver are the proof of social upheaval. In Early Bronze Age, commerce was also developed and a wide commercial network covering Aegean Region, Middle East and Balkans was established. Early Bronze Age is divided into 3 phases in Anatolia and Thrace Region which are called as EBA I-II-III and is represented with settlements over a thousand one of which is Ikiztepe (Bafra/Samsun).

E- History of Anatolian Civilizations

Here are the important civilizations lived in Anatolia respectively:

1-Hattian Civilization (2500- 1700 B.C.)

2-Hittite Civilization
Establishment= 2000 B.C.

Destruction= 1200 B.C.

(During the Hittite Empire period, there had lived some tribes who are called as Gasgas’; or Kaskian/Kashgar Turks in some sources.)

3-Frigians
Establishment = 1200 B.C.
Destruction =around 600 B.C.

4-Ionian Civilization
Establishment =1200 B.C.
Destruction =600 B.C.

5-Urarthu Civilization
Establishment = 900 B.C.
Destruction = 600 B.C.

6- Persian Empire
Establishment = 648 B.C.
Destruction = 330 B.C.

7-Alexander the Great’s Empire (Macedonian Kingdom)
Establishment = 334 B.C.
Destruction = 323 B.C.

8-Roman Empire
Establishment = 27 B.C.
Destruction = 395 A.D.

9-Byzantine Empire
Establishment =395
Destruction =1453

10-Great Seljuk Empire
Establishment =1040
Destruction =1157

11-Anatolian Seljuk Empire
Establishment =1077
Destruction =1308

12-Anatolian Principalities (except Ottoman principality)
Establishment =1250
Destruction =1515

13-Ottoman Empire
Establishment =1299
Destruction =1922

14-Republic of Turkey
Establishment =1923
Destruction =.........

It is said that Assyrian traders who traveled through Anatolia to trade are the first ones who introduced writing to Anatolia around 3200 B.C. and this is also accepted as the start of written history for this territory. Besides, before Hittites – the strongest civilization of Anatolia- Hattians, Luwis and Hurris had lived in Anatolia. This is why it is “Hattian Country”, the oldest name of Anatolia known today. Hattian principality is a protohistoric (immediately before written history) civilization (2500 – 1700 B.C.). Historians tell that Hattians are not originally Anatolians and infact immigrated into Anatolia afterwards. Again some historians say that Sumerians, who first discovered writing, migrated into Anatolia from Central Asia and then moved into Mesopotamia. Some sumerologs who analyze Sumerian language claim by looking into this language that Sumerians were Turks and this makes one think that history of Anatolia dates more ancient than it is proved to be.

Together with the end of Early Bronze Age which actually started around 3000 B.C., city-states appeared in Anatolia within the period of Assyrian Trade Colonies as a result of the increase in economic power related with the development of commercial relations. The most important of those some 10 colonies whose names are written in Assyrian tablets were Zalpuwa, Hattusa and Kanis. Archeological diggings in Bafra Ikiztepe Ruins point out that Zalpuwa, known also as the legendary city, was established in Bafra.

There exist two rumors about the origin of the name of Anatolia. First says that Romans called the region in between Kızılırmak and Aegean Sea as “ThemaAnatolica” (Eastern Region) at the time when they were emperors in this field. Over time, it was only Anatolica used instead of ThemaAnatolica and the western literature kept this name as Anatolica. As soon as the Muslim Turks moved to this region, this word became to be used as Anatolia.

Whereas the second tells us a story about the name of Anatolia which passed in the time of Kılıcarslan, Sultan of the Anatolian Seljuks’. In one of the Sultan’s military expedition taking place on a very hot summer day, the soldiers got too thirsty of walking. As soon as they gave a break to relax, an old woman came into their camp area and served them with yoghurt drink. Soldiers both drank it and filled in their flasks with it. However, the old woman was still saying “Fill in your flasks my sons! Fill them in”. In reply to her, each soldier was saying “Mother (means ‘ana’- in Turkish), it’s already filled (means ‘dolu’-in Turkish)”. Later on, the region over where these soldiers had their camp was called as Anatolia (“Anadolu” in Turkish) which also gave the name of the territory over which we live now.

Together with the people living collectively over Anatolia, states were established and then appeared different civilizations one after the other. This civilization chain which lasted for centuries enabled Anatolia to become the cradle of civilizations.

HISTORY OF BAFRA

The history of our town dates back to 5000 B.C. The works found in archeological diggings in Ikiztepe include some traces from the settlements in Chalcholitic Era (5000-4000 B.C.). It is understood that there was a continuous settlement in Ikiztepe for about 2300 years between 4000 B.C. and 1700 B.C. In this territory, many ruins and art-pieces belonging to Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 B.C.) and Early Hittite Civilization (1900-1800 B.C.) were found. Besides, some sources claim that the very first and later on the religious capitals of Hittites, whose capital was officially Hattusa, were both Ikiztepe (this claim may also arise from the fact that had moved to Anatolia from the Kızılırmak valley). It is also known that Paphlagonians were located in Kızılırmak valley around 670 B.C. The valley then was respectively invaded by Lydians in the 6th century B.C. and by Persians in 546 B.C. There is also one cenotaph found in Ikiztepe, which belongs to Hellenistic period (330-30 B.C.). Bafra region was prevailed by Romans in 47 B.C. and later on by Byzantine Empire.

Bafra was acquired by Seljuks after 1071 when Malazgirt War took place. Izettin Keykavus, emperor of Anatolian Seljuks, brought Turkmen tribes within Bafra in 1214. However, Seljuks were later destroyed due to  Mongolian invasions started in 1243 which also caused Turkish principalities to be established. It was just then the Principality of Bafra, a small part of Seljuk Principality, was established.

When the Ottoman Period starts in the history, Bafra appears as a place acquired by Ottomans and interconnected to Canik District of Trabzon city. It is not exactly known when Bafra became a township center but yearbook records say that it dates back to the end of 1854. During the empire period, after the war in 1876, many Turks moved to Bafra from Crimea. The Balkan and the 1st World Wars which subsequently occurred in the history caused Turks to become less in number and poorer and although they were in minority, Armenians and Greeks got hold of the economy and became richer. The strength they acquired gave the Greeks more power to establish the Black Sea Greek State and they  consequently established Mavri Mira Organization. However, they couldn’t have succeeded in realizing this dream as soon as when National Struggle started in 1919 and they were exchanged for tobacco-expert Turks coming from the Greek cities like Kavala, Drama and Thessalonica. This is why the number of exchangeds living around Bafra is quite high.

According to an Ottoman population census undertaken in 1893 , the number of people living in Bafra was 62.782. The majority of this population (62% - 38.936) was composed of Turks whereas the number of Greeks was 22.834 (36%). In other words, from 10 people living in Bafra at the time, 6 were Muslims and 4 were Christians.

Further to mention, a vast majority of Albanians moved to Anatolia just after Balkan Wars (1912( was placed around Bafra. Their grand children are still trying to keep Kosovo culture and Albanian language alive. They were infact these Albanian migrants who contributed a lot in the development of agriculture and horticulture in Bafra.

Civilizations and Empires who established dominance in Bafra:

1-    Early Hittite Period
2-    Hittite Period and Kaskians
3-    Paphlogonian Period
4-    Lydian Period
5-    Persian Empire
6-    Roman Empire
7-    Byzantine Empire
8-    Seljuk Empire
9-    Mongolian Invasion Period
10-  Bavra Principality Period
11-  Ottoman Empire
12-  Republic of Turkey