Akdam: Archaeological Traces and History

Akdam has a clear local historical focus, with the archaeological site in Ören and the finds at Henüz-Mevkii. Elsewhere in Kozan District, other types of historic structures include Kozan Castle and Ala Kapı. This shift in scale is interesting for planning your trip: in Akdam, the focus is on a tomb house, a funerary inscription and structural remains; outside the town, a castle complex and a city gate shape the historical setting.

Archaeological Traces in Ören

The archaeological site is in the Ören neighbourhood of Akdam, in Kozan. It contains a tomb house, with a funerary inscription at its entrance that has been studied. Thus, a specific structure and a written record belong to the same local context. These two details offer different perspectives on the same place: the tomb house is a structural record, while the inscription is a written one. If you are planning the local part of your trip, Ören provides a clearly defined thematic focal point: the connection between a tomb house and a studied inscription.

Stone Remains at Henüz-Mevkii

A second local point of interest is Henüz-Mevkii in the Akdam neighbourhood of Kozan. Ancient dressed stone blocks, keystones and other structural remains have been identified there. Unlike Ören, where the tomb house and inscription are specified, the focus here is on various architectural elements and remains. A keystone is the stone that closes an arch at the top; the term helps identify a particular architectural element among the finds mentioned. The dressed blocks and other remains add to this architectural perspective. Compared with Ören, Akdam therefore offers two different kinds of archaeological evidence: a tomb house with an inscription and several identified architectural elements or remains.

Castle and City Gate in Kozan District

Elsewhere in Kozan District, Kozan Castle, also known as Sis Kalesi, offers a different sense of scale. It stands in the centre of the district on a steep limestone hill and overlooks the plain. The castle consists of two groups of buildings and has 44 towers and bastions. Taken together, these details give a specific impression of the layout of the complex. Its position on the hill also describes its relationship to the surrounding plain. The castle thus differs markedly from the tomb and structural remains described locally in Akdam.

Another example is Ala Kapı in Anavarza, in Dilekkaya, also in Kozan District: it is the only one of the four large city gates to have survived to the present day. It was built as a triumphal arch. Compared with Kozan Castle, it illustrates two different historic architectural forms in the district: a castle complex with two groups of buildings and numerous towers and bastions, and a city gate in the form of a triumphal arch. Ala Kapı thus broadens the focus from individual archaeological finds in Akdam to monumental historic architecture elsewhere in the district.

Choose the Focus of Your Trip

This distinction can help when planning your trip and choosing a holiday apartment in Akdam. Ören and Henüz-Mevkii are the specifically identified archaeological points of interest in Akdam; Kozan Castle and Ala Kapı are elsewhere in Kozan District. If you are primarily interested in local archaeological evidence, these two sites in Akdam will be central to your considerations. If you also want to include larger historic structures, take the wider district into account as part of your thematic itinerary. This way, you can first decide which places and historical interests you want to shape your stay; you can then choose accommodation according to your own requirements.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Çatalçam, Adana, Aladağ, Karataş, Şambayadı Mahallesi, Narlık, Uluçınar, Yumurtalık.

For the main travel overview: Adana.