Aciyurt Mosque in Sivas-Ulas and Its Decorations

Abstract

In this study, the mosque which is located in Aciyurt village of Ulas district of Sivas province will be introduced and evaluated in terms of architecture, ormanent, material and tecnique. The Aciyurt Mosque was built in 1899-900 by the Karapapak Turks who migrated from Meskhetia and settled in the region during the 1877-1878 Ottoman-Russian war. The structure consisted of east-west oriented rectangular shaped entrance hall and a north-south oriented rectangular planned a prayer hall. The prayer hall is divided into three aisles with a central aisle by means of four wooden columns in two rows. The mosque is illuminated by three windows on the east and west sides and two windows on the south side. On the North-west corner of the tile roofed building, there is a subsequently incorporated trapezoid based, cylindrical minaret with a single balcony. The structure has been built with rough-hewn dimension stone and rubble stone filled wall technique and has a wooden ceiling. There are wooden and painted decoration on many parts of the architectural components of the building. These are the pulpit, the ceiling, the column headings, the beams and consoles carrying the royal loge, the prayer hall facing facades of ceiling beams. These ornaments included plant and leaf motifs, some tools having symbolic essence such as Zulfiqar and halberd, sacred places such as Kaaba and architectural depictions such as mosque. The hallmark of this building is the symbolic motifs such as Kaabe, Zulfikar and halberd which were carried out by painted decoration made on wood rather than its architectural design. The Zulfikar motif was also widely used in mosques in Anatolia and Meskhetia. It is important in this context that the inhabitants of Aciyurt Village migrated from Meskhetia and settled in the region. For this reason, it is necessary to consider the Zulfikar and halberd motifs in the Aciyurt Mosque as a symbol of heroism and Islam by associating it with the Meskhetia region.