Kurul Kalesi

Kurul Castle is an ancient settlement built on a sharp rock within the boundaries of Bayadı neighbourhood, about thirteen kilometres south of Ordu city centre. The site is protected as a first-degree archaeological and natural conservation area. Küre Encyclopedia writes that the castle stands on a rock at 571 metres above sea level, overlooking the valley of the Melet River. The settlement stretches along the ridge in a north-east to south-west direction. The first archaeological excavation at the castle began in 2010 under the direction of the Ordu Museum Directorate. Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yücel Şenyurt served as the scientific adviser of the excavations and later as their director. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism presents Kurul as the first systematic archaeological excavation site launched in the Black Sea Region. Fired clay roof tiles and pottery fragments found during the excavation showed that the site was settled in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. According to the excavation results reported by Küre Encyclopedia, the origins of the settlement go back to the 3rd century BC. It became a fortress, however, at the beginning of the 1st century BC, during the reign of Mithradates VI, the last great ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus. In this period it is thought to have served as a defensive garrison while also taking on administrative and religious functions. The cultural inventory of the Black Sea Project Regional Development Administration writes that the settlement came to an end with a great fire that broke out during a powerful Roman attack. After that, the castle remained unused for about two thousand years. The castle is enclosed by stone walls averaging two and a half metres in thickness. The settlement consists of two main parts, the inner citadel at the summit and the north-eastern terrace. These two parts are linked to each other by corridor-like passages and entrance gates. Storage buildings, rooms for military use and spaces with a religious function have been identified in the excavations. Movement between the parts at different levels is made possible by long flights of steps uncovered by the excavations. The most striking structure on the site is the stepped tunnel carved into the bedrock. Küre Encyclopedia writes that this tunnel has 426 steps, while the provincial directorate and news reports speak of between 250 and 300 steps. At the end of the tunnel there is a natural rock basin thought to have been used as a water cistern. This tunnel and cistern are a good example for understanding a besieged garrison's need to reach water. The find that made Kurul known across Turkey came to light in the 2016 excavation season. A marble statue of Kybele seated on her throne was found at the main entrance gate of the castle. The cultural inventory of the regional development administration reports that the wooden structure above the statue collapsed during the attack and covered it, so that the statue survived in place to the present day. The size of the statue is given differently in the sources; the inventory speaks of a height of about 110 centimetres and a weight of 200 kilograms. Being one of the first Hellenistic Kybele statues found in its original position makes it scientifically important. The finds from the excavations are not limited to this. They include figures of Dionysus and Pan, goat-shaped rhyta, an Apollo figurine, bronze depictions of Hermes and an eagle, bronze door keys and a pendant made of onyx. Arrowheads and spearheads, sandstone cannonballs, oil lamps and coins also shed light on the military life of the castle. According to the excavation team, the number of artefacts found has reached several thousand. In later seasons a second entrance gate on the eastern side of the castle and storage jars buried in the ground were also uncovered. Today the site has walking trails, seating areas and illuminated viewing terraces. The provincial directorate also notes that a picnic area and a car park have been laid out at the site. From the viewing terraces the Melet valley, the surrounding wooded ridges and the slopes covered with hazelnut orchards can be seen from a wide angle. Visitors do not enter the excavation area itself; the trenches are watched from the paths and terraces around them. The castle is reached by car on the roads heading south from the city centre, and a walk is needed to reach the top of the hill. Because of the steps and the sloping ground, comfortable, non-slip shoes are needed. In summer, if the excavation season is under way, some sections may be closed to visitors; it is a good idea to ask the provincial directorate of culture and tourism about current visiting conditions. The rocky summit of the castle is especially impressive at sunset, but bear in mind that the way back can become difficult in the dark.