Harput Minted Ottoman Coins & Determined Two New Types

Abstract

Until today, it was estimated that the settlement in Harput Citadel had begun in the time of the Urartians. However, archaeological findings of 2021 indicated that life in the Citadel had started as early as 3^rd millenium BC. From this date until the Early Republican Period (1930s), uninterrupted settlement is seen in the castle. It is known that there was a mint here since the Middle Ages.

In this qualitative research, the problem of the conquest history of Harput by the Ottomans was also mentioned. Harput minted Ottoman coins found in the Harput Inner Castle excavations constitute the main subject of the article. One of 9 coins (Cat No: 1) was dated to the Period of Yavuz Sultan Selim and 7 of them (Kat. No: 2-8) to the Period of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. It could not be determined in which ruler period one of the coins (Kat. No: 9) was minted. It is estimated that the coins no 2 and 9 in the catalog are the new types of Ottoman coins minted in Harput. In Addition; detailed information about the Harput mint was given for the first time, the scattered and incomplete information about the questions such as which states were cutting coins was compiled and interpreted in the scale of numismatic data, and an opinion was presented about where the mint could be in the citadel.

As a result based on the information provided by Harput researchers and Ottoman writers, it was understood that the conquest, which started in the winter of 921/1515, was completed in the spring of 922/1516. Although the date of annexation is known, the coin dated 920/1514 belonging to the Harput mint, which is included in various catalogs, was also emphasized and it was concluded that it was read incorrectly and should actually belong to the year 925/1519. Thus, a clear date (1516) of conquest emerged.