The geological-geochemical characteristics of the Binbir Church (Karaman, Turkey) archaeological site and the alteration of the rocks used in the buildings

Abstract

Karaman (Turkey) province, formerly known as Lykaonia, has a wide range of geographically diverse raw materials, has hosted many civilisations throughout history, and provides remains of these civilisations to the present day. The area where the ruins of Madensehir and Degle villages are located, namely, in the northern part of Karadag (Karaman, Turkey) is called Binbir Church. This area, which has been understood as a sacred centre since the Hittites period, has strategic importance in terms of its geographical location in the Late Roman and Byzantine periods. It also became the most significant religious centre of the region during the Byzantine period. The building stones used in the basilicas numbered 1, 31, and 32 in the villages of Madensehir and Degle, located in the ruins of a thousand and one churches, are dacite, trachydacite, and trachyandesite. SiO2-poor andesite and dacites were used in the structures, and it was understood that these rocks were very slightly or slightly altered according to the degree of alteration using the weathering index (of parker), the chemical index of the alteration, chemical index of weathering and the plagioclase index of alteration. The study of this region, which is a cultural heritage, is expected to lead to significant contributions to long-term restoration works to be carried out in the region.