Traditional dwellings of Gölde (İNCESU): A rural heritage in the process of change

Abstract

Gölde, officially named İncesu, is a rural settlement located in Aegean Anatolia. Before the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923, Gölde hosted both Orthodox Rum and Muslim Turkish communities. Despite out-migration since 1923, traditional life continued in the settlement with a small population that now comprises mostly elderly Turkish people. This paper aims to understand traditional Gölde dwelling units by analysing the influence of daily-life practices, customs, traditions and values through interviews with current locals and the oral testimonies of former Rum inhabitants. A site survey identified 136 traditional dwelling units, 68 of which are still inhabited. Site reconstruction analysis revealed the original condition of 90 dwelling units. These formed the primary focus of investigation. No major differences were found between houses originally belonging to the Rum and Turkish communities. However, the study identified significant adaptations of the dwelling units in line with changing socio-cultural conditions over time.