Soundtrack of Calikusu, An Old Turkish Film

Below there's a video of an old turkish film soundtrack from 1986. I used to love this film and its soundtrack very much, so i want to share it with you. This film is based on a novel "Calikusu". It's about a girl who loves a man very much. But she had a heartbreak and she left the town, became a teacher in the anatolian villages. But in the years of 1900's the conditions are very hard especially for a woman in Anatolia. I hope you like it.

The Mountain of the Gods, Nemrut

Adiyaman, the cradle of the oldest civilizations in history, is among the most important provinces in Turkey from the aspect of tourism. Especially, on the Nemrut Mountain in Kahta District, the graves, temples and the statues of kings are extremely interesting for tourists. The province has recorded great developments in agriculture thanks to the introduction of irrigation with the GAP project, and industrialization has accelerated in recent years.
The Commagene State was founded in the first century B.C. on the lands of the Adiyaman Province of today. King Antiochus I, who was known to be an art lover, decided that his grave should be at the summit of Nemrut Mountain and said, "Those who come to visit my grave should wear their most beautiful clothes and the most fragrant perfumes. I will give them happiness and prosperity for generations on these lands." In fact, the Nemrut Mountain National Park and the summit of Nemrut Mountain, with its impressive silhouette at a height of 2150 meters, is the place in the province visited the most by domestic and foreign tourists, with its natural beauty and historical assets.
The mausoleum of Antiochus I, located at the summit of the mountain, is surrounded by three sacred areas in the shape of a terrace carved into the hard rock, to the east, west and north. At the eastern terrace are located the statues of Apollo, the god of art; Tyche (Fortuna), the goddess of fertility and fortune; Zeus, the god of the heavens; Hercules, the god of strength; King Antiochus; an eagle and a lion. The height of the statues is close to 9 meters. The steles of the Commagene Royal Family are to the north and south, and to the east of the terrace, there is a rectangular shaped altar with steps, and beside it a protective lion statue. The western terrace, where there are the same statues, is more effective in its sculpture, in spite of the fact that it has experienced more damage in comparison with the eastern terrace. Nemrut Mountain has a unique pastoral beauty, especially at sunset on the western terrace, and visitors experience moments that they will not forget as long as they live. The most suitable time of year for climbing the mountain is between 15 May and 15 October. read more about this place

Turkish Baths (Hamam)

The tradition of the Turkish bath extends far back, to a time before Turks had reached Anatolia. When the Turks arrived in Anatolia, they brought with them one bathing tradition, and were confronted with another, that of Romans and Byzantines, with certain local variants. The traditions merged, and with the addition of the Moslem concern for cleanliness and its concomitant respect for the uses of water, there arose an entirely new concept, that of the Turkish Bath. In time it became an institution, with its system of ineradicable customs.

For the Turkish bath was much more than just a place to cleanse the skin. It was intimately bound up with everyday life, a place where people of every rank and station, young and old, rich an poor, townsman or villager, could come freely. Women as well as men made use of the "hamam", as the bath is known in Turkish, although of course at separate hours.

From the individual's point of view, the hamam was a familiar place from the earliest weeks of life right up to its very end. Important occasions during a lifespan were, and in some township still are, celebrated with rejoicing at the bath. The newborn's fortieth day, the brides bathing complete with food and live music, and the Avowal are instances. The latter requires some explanation, for it involved the custom common in Anatolia of making a promise or vow, contingent on the fulfillment of some important wish. The celebration of this in the hamam was arranged and paid for by the person fulfilling his vow, and was open to one and all.

The hamam ceremony of mourning, on the other hand, was far different, but also widespread. The Hospitality bathing was simply the taking of one's house-guest to the hamam for a wash. Then there were the Circumcision, Groom's, and Off-to-the-Army bathings, and others besides. As we see, the whole culture of a people had the Turkish bath as one of its important nexuses.
Naturally, there was a range of equipment associated with a hamam visit, and until recently one might count from 15 to 20 articles in the bundle which a woman brought along with her. Let's see this bundles:

The "pestemal" (pesh-te-mahl), a large towel fringed at both ends and wrapped around the torso, from below the armpits to about mid-thigh , as the woman made her way to the "kurna" or marble basin. The pestemal would be striped or checked, a colored mixture of silk and cotton, or pure cotton, or even pure silk.

A pair of wooden clogs or patens, in Turkish "nalin", of which there were many varied types. Carved exquisitely, these patens kept the wearer's feet clear of the wet floor. They would be embellished in a number of ways, most often with mother-of-pearl, or even sheathed in tooled silver. They might have jingles, or a woven straw sheath, or be applied with felt or brass.

The "tas", or bowl for pouring water over the body, was always of metal. Weather silver, gilt or tinned copper, or of brass, the tas always had grooved and inlaid ornamentation.

One finds a soap case of metal, usually copper, with a handle on top like a handbag, and perforated at the bottom to allow water to run out. Not only soap goes into such a case, but also a coarse mitt for scouring down the skin, a webbing of date-palm or other fibers for lathering on the soap, and combs both fine and broad-toothed made of horn or ivory.

The "kese" (keh-seh), that rough cloth mitt carried in the soap case, not only scoured the dirt out of the pores, but served to deliver a bracing massage. The soaping web, on the other hand, was specially woven out of hair or plant fibers.

A small jewelry box is often included, and depending on the region will be of silver, copper or wood, sometimes covered with wicker, felt, velvet or silver. As she undresses in the hamam, the woman will remove her jewelry and place it in this box.

There are three towels for drying, one to go around the hair like a turban, one around the shoulders, and one around the waist.

The hamam carpet would be laid on the floor, then another cloth spread over it. Indeed, the name of the latter, "yaygi", contains the Turkish root for Quotspread". The woman would sit on the mat so formed to undress, and it was here that the bundle itself would be placed. After each trip to the hamam the spread would be washed and dried, then folded away in the bundle until the next time.

An inner bundle cloth was made of cambric, which can be repeatedly washed.

The outer bundle on the other hand, heavily embroidered, might be velvet, woolen or silken weave. In any case, it is always showy, suitable for the uses to which it is put on feast days and other special occasions.

The mirror was an indispensable item in the bundle, its frame and handle often of wood, but sometimes of silver or brass.

There might be a bowl for henna, which the woman would fill on arriving at the hamam. Aside from the color it lends, henna is considered to strengthen the hair. Henna is an old tradition for young girls before their marriage day; called as Henna night.

A very small container, made of tinned copper, was used to mash up an eyebrow darkener known as "rastik", especially popular with those of fair and auburn hair.

There is another box, this one for "surme", for the lids.

Attar of rose in a bottle, the bottle in turn kept in a wooden case, and inevitably found in the hamam bundle: No other perfume was considered proper for the newly washed body.

article from www.allaboutturkey.com

Pamukkale, The Natural Wonder

Pamukkale

With its very rare travertines, the Hierapolis has a different beauty in every season. The theraphetic waters of Hierapolis are being used since the Romans. By running down the edge of a plator, the calcerious waters laden with salts have formed magnificient formations like cataracts and basins. These formations are the main attractions for the visiting tourists. The area which is consisted of the travertines and the remains of the ancient hierapolis city is a very important center with its historical value and novel structure.
HierapolisThe remains of the ancient city Hierapolis which had been founded by the Legendary Pergamum king in the name of his wife Hiera lies scattered around Pamukkale. The ancient city is one of the important centers of Christianity though it is believed that St Philippe was martyred here.

Temple of Apollo

The temple is situated next to the sacred cave called Plutonium. A wide flight steps leads to the sanctuary. The temple which measures 20x15 m carries the traces of Hellenistic period.

Aphrodisias

The city has taken its name from Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. It is constructed around one of the most famous temples dedicated to the goddess. The aphrodisias city which is very well preserved and famous with its school of sculpture is a great touristic attraction today. The white and blue colored marble quarries situated to the north of city was the main reason for the sculpture school foundation here. Archeological excavations revealed that the school also had very remote visitors. Additinaly, Aphrodisias has generated other works of art in other subjects like literature, science and philosophy.

City Walls, City plan and the Temple of Aphrodite

The city walls of the Aphrodite Temple is 3.5 km long. On the city walls, there are the remains of a castle which is roughly circular in shape having some towers and 4 main doors. The aphrodite Temple which only 14 columns remained standing today was the focus point of the city in the ancient era. Unfortunately after the most parts of the building had been converted to a Christian basilica in the 5 c A.D., the information related to its former condition that reached today is very limited. The walls of the naiskos was pulled down and at the sides were shifted, additional walls had been constructed to the north in order to build two aisles.
TetrapylonThis decorative gate, the most glamarous symbol of Aphrodisias dates back to mid of the 2. century A.D. It has got 4 columns at 4 sides and the real entrance is in the east.At the front there are fluted very beautiful columns in Corinthian order facing to the main street on the north - south axis. The broken pediment of the west columns is decortaed with a hunting eros relief.

Museum of Aphrodisias

In the museum where statues, busts, reliefs, sarcophagi, medusa and animal figurines were exhibited.

Article From www.mybea.com

Ancient City, Ephesus