Master-Signed and Stamped Tobacco Pipes Unearthed during the Silifke Castle ExcavationsMaster Signed And Stamped Tobacco Pipes Unearthed During The Silifke Castle Excavation

Abstract

Excavations at Silifke Castle, located in the district center of Silifke in Mersin Province, began in 2011 under the direction of Prof. Dr. Ali Boran. During the excavations and drilling work, various artifacts were unearthed, including items of daily use; ceramic and glass vessel fragments, object fragments, jewelry, metalwork, and tool parts.

During the archaeological excavations, numerous terracotta artifacts were also uncovered. Among the most significant of these finds are tobacco pipes. The pipes unearthed during the excavations and analyzed in this study provide important data regarding their typology, clay characteristics, ornamentation, and maker’s marks.

Among the examined artifacts, examples with “round bowls” and “flat round bowls” are observed. There are also pieces whose forms cannot be determined due to extensive deformation and breakage. These artifacts are notable not only for their bowl shapes but also for their master signatures and stamped/ sealed features. While the name “Sinan” appears frequently in the master signatures, some seals and inscriptions are illegible or have been worn away. The exact findspot of the tobacco pipes discovered during the Silifke Castle excavations is unknown. These pipes were used during the Ottoman period, between the 17^th and 19^th centuries.

The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of 21 stamped and master-signed uncovered during the excavations, to compare them with similar examples, and to introduce them into the scholarly literature.