The “Turkish Tile Art Workshop” project, prepared by the History Society of Hitit University within the scope of the Youth and Sports Ministry’s ÜNİDES program, was successfully implemented.
The “Turkish Tile Art Workshop” project, prepared by the History Society of Hitit University within the scope of the Youth and Sports Ministry’s ÜNİDES program, was successfully implemented.
As part of the project, a historical and cultural trip to Tokat was organized under the guidance of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences History Department faculty members Mehmet Ali Bozkuş, Nihal Bakışçı, and professional tour guides. During the event, participants visited Mahperi Hatun Caravanserai, Gök Medrese, Yağıbasan Madrasa, Taşhan, Ali Tusi Tomb, Tokat City Museum, and Ballıca Cave. Guides provided students with information about the history and historical functions of these cultural and historical sites.
In the second phase of the project, a conference titled “The Historical Development of Tile Art and Its Importance in the Seljuk Period” was held at the Veli Paşa Mansion Women’s Culture Center. Speaking at the conference, tile artist and graduate student Tuğba Güleç shared insights into the historical development of Turkish tile art, the aesthetic understanding of the Seljuk period, and the symbolic meanings carried by the tiles of Kubadabad Palace.
The conference particularly emphasized that the tile art developed during the Anatolian Seljuk period was not merely a decorative element, but also an important heritage reflecting cultural memory, the understanding of statehood, perceptions of nature, and artistic traditions. Information was also provided about the historical and symbolic meanings of motifs such as the double-headed eagle, fish, peacock, and palace figures featured in Seljuk tiles.
In the phase of the project aimed at creating awareness and providing practical experience with Seljuk motifs, students had the opportunity to apply traditional Seljuk motifs onto tile plates and cups during the “Seljuk Motifs Workshop: From Tradition to the Future.” Under the guidance of instructor Nebahat Çetin and with the participation of History Department faculty members Hatice Yıldırım, Ömer Alkaç, and Fatma Akın, students had the opportunity both to closely experience traditional Turkish handicrafts and to create their own designs through the workshop activities.
The works produced at the end of the event will be exhibited on May 13, 2026, at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Zekeriya Işık thanked the Youth and Sports Ministry’s ÜNİDES program, the Çorum Municipality Directorate of Women and Family Services, the instructors, faculty members, and students who contributed to the project prepared by the History Department faculty members and History Society students with the aims of strengthening young people’s historical awareness and increasing awareness of traditional Turkish arts and historical cultural heritage.
