The Hart 310 Fieldtrip to Işıkdağı

(24 and 25 March 2001)

On a sunny and warm Saturday morning a group of young people were assembling near the National Library. All were wearing heavy boots and old clothes, and were carrying backpacks filled with dry socks, food, sleeping bags and camping mats. Around 8.30 they were picked up by the passing Çerkes bus. This was the HART 310 class of the Archaeology Department on its way to the ‘dropping zone’ somewhere on Işıkdağ. The aim of this trip is to train the students in map reading, the use of a compass, terrain reconnaissance, orientation and the use of the hand-held GPS.

The hand-held GPS and a map (scale 1:25.000)

These elements were earlier ‘dry’ practiced in the classroom with the help of slides and topographical maps.

The ‘310 group’ walked, behind the few who were the executors of the tasks given to each team member, over hills, through valleys and rivers, across rock faces and ridges, and along waterfalls.

A lunch-break was made, for rest and hot drinks, in a (at this season deserted) yayla, a group of houses high on the mountain pasture, which are only in use during the warm summer months.

Where are we? 

The event most students were waiting for was when the instructor made, for undisclosed reasons, a mis-step on a slippery stone in the river and became wet between boots and belt. But on the students’ side there were also some incidents: like the two who marked all the GPS readings over a few kilometers long stretch of road, but lost the maps somewhere along the path. 

The campsite was for security reasons far from the road and water sources. Its location was deep in the forest on a flat foothill. Tents were set up and the sleeping equipment prepared for the night. The dinner was a standard packet, for every student the same. Most of it was ready food, which needs to be heated in warm water. All helped to collect wood for a bonfire and the evening was spent in its warmth. That was no luxury since soon after dark snow started to fall.

The next morning some students tried to relight the fire with at least one liter of petrol. Their attempt failed, but all the fuel for the

Cookers were used up!

After breakfast, a long day of it through knee-high snow. But at the end of the road was waiting the Bilkent Bus, which, after a stop at the local teahouse, transported the whole group back to Ankara and Bilkent University. 

          Ben Claasz Coockson

 

The route on the second day...

Newsletter No. 1 - 2002, Pg. 2

<  >