A runic inscription carved into a rock at the historic Binbir Church (Thousand and One Church) archaeological site on Karadağ Mount in the central province of Karaman may represent the tamga (tribal emblem) of an early Turkic group, according to researchers carrying out fieldwork in the region.
The discovery was made during the third season of surface surveys led by Associate Professor İlker Mete Mimiroğlu, head of the Early Christian and Byzantine Arts Department at Necmettin Erbakan University.
The Binbir Church complex, located on the slopes of the extinct Karadağ volcano in central Türkiye, is one of the country’s most significant Early Christian settlements, known for its dense concentration of churches, chapels and Byzantine-era structures.
Researchers said the architectural remains indicate the settlement played both military and religious roles. An 11th-century church built on a closed Greek cross plan also suggests the area remained in active use through the Middle Byzantine period and into the era surrounding the Seljuk expansion.
Unlike graffiti documented during previous survey seasons, this year’s work uncovered an inscription written in runic characters — an ancient angular script historically associated with early Turkic communities in Central Asia.
Preliminary assessments by specialists suggest the inscription may include one or more tamgas belonging to Turkic tribes, although scientific analysis is ongoing.
“The inscription is highly significant. Unlike the graffiti we documented in previous years, this time we identified runic characters,” Mimiroğlu said.
“A church stands very close to the inscription. These markings, which were probably connected to the church, provide direct evidence of links with Central Asia. According to preliminary expert evaluations, the inscription is of Central Asian origin and may represent the tamga of a Turkic tribe.”
Mimiroğlu noted that the team discovered another settlement in the area last year containing around 10 churches and chapels near the Roman Pool on Karadağ, reinforcing the site’s strategic and religious importance.
He added that the newly identified symbols could shed light on the presence of early Turkic groups in the region following the Battle of Manzikert in 1071.
“We are in a location where Turkish groups settled after 1071. Horses held great importance in Turkic culture, and the nearby water reservoir would have been an ideal place for mounted warriors and communities,” he said. “These findings are particularly exciting because they point to traces of an early Turkish presence in the region.”
