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Central Anatolia (Cappadocia, Avanos, Ankara, Konya)
Central Anatolia (Cappadocia, Avanos, Ankara, Konya)
A City You Can Taste
This region is the heartland of Anatolia, defined by its vast steppes, ancient river basins (like the Kızılırmak), and
unique geological formations.
- Early/Prehistoric (Pre-3000 BC): * Çatalhöyük Settlers: One of the world’s oldest and most advanced Neolithic proto-cities.
- Hattians: The indigenous, non-Indo-European people who established the first city-states in the region.
- BC (3000 BC – 1 BC):
- Hittites: The first great Anatolian empire. They absorbed Hattian culture and ruled from Hattusa, heavily influencing areas around modern-day Avanos and Çorum.
- Phrygians: Centered around Gordion (near Ankara); famous for King Midas and their masterful woodwork and textiles.
- Galatians: Celtic tribes that migrated into central Anatolia during the Hellenistic period.
- CE / After BC (1 CE – 1300 CE):
- Romans & Byzantines: Heavily utilized the region, particularly the volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia, as early Christian sanctuaries, building vast underground cities and cave complexes.
- Seljuks of Rum: The dominant Turkish-Persian medieval power that built magnificent caravanserais and transformed Konya into a major cultural and spiritual hub.
