In the heart of central Türkiye, a seemingly unremarkable firewood storage area in the village of Taşkınpaşa has revealed a long-lost Islamic worship site dating back six centuries. Experts believe the rock-cut structure may be linked to the Eretnaid period, a lesser-known yet historically significant Anatolian beylik.
Art historians from Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University (NEVÜ) made the discovery during a surface survey conducted in Taşkınpaşa, a village already known for its 16th-century Ottoman-era madrasa and mosque. While investigating a cave-like space previously used as a wood shed, the team uncovered an elaborately carved stone mihrab—an architectural element indicating the site’s former function as a place of Islamic prayer.
No Record in Literature: A Hidden Chapter of Anatolian History
According to Associate Professor Dr. Savaş Maraşlı, the site had never been documented in academic literature:
“This structure has remained completely off the radar. It likely survived this long because it was concealed and repurposed as a wood storage area. The mihrab shows classic ornamental and technical features consistent with Anatolian beylik-period craftsmanship.”
Maraşlı added that the space also shows traces of domestic use, suggesting it may have served as both a prayer room and a living area. The rock-cut design and stylistic elements echo the architectural vocabulary of post-Seljuk Anatolia.
A Forgotten Shrine Brought to Light Through Cleaning
The rediscovery began when local resident Mehmet Ersen, 63, allowed researchers to clean out the interior of the cave-like structure.
“I remember some tourists in my childhood saying this might be an old mosque,” Ersen recalled, “but no one paid attention until now.”
With the help of museum officials from Ürgüp, the team cleared debris and began documenting the site. Preliminary findings indicate that the mihrab’s presence confirms ritual prayer once took place here, even if the structure’s exact religious or communal function remains under investigation.
A Rare Glimpse into Rural Religious Architecture
The newly discovered structure offers rare insight into the vernacular religious architecture of rural Anatolia. Its well-preserved decorative motifs and construction techniques serve as a physical testimony to the continuity of Islamic architectural traditions from the Seljuk to the beylik periods.
Researchers aim to conduct further documentation and restoration work, shedding new light on an overlooked chapter of Türkiye’s cultural heritage.
