Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi

16-28

Authors: Manana MICHITASHVILI

The paper provides a comprehensive exploration of the complex political milieu in Kartl-Kakheti during the 1770s and 1780s, particularly elucidating Russia's expansionist objectives. Within this historical context, it meticulously examines the altruistic endeavors of Levan Batonishvili, a figure of significance in his own right and an ancestor to the esteemed King Erekle. Batonishvili, distinguished by his erudition, astute intelligence, courage, and active role in politics at the royal court, emerges as a pivotal character in the narrative. His unwavering commitment and robust support for King Erekle, especially in fortifying state policies that aimed at the unification of the country and bolstering defense capabilities, are integral facets explored in this research. Batonishvili's role as a stalwart ally to the king becomes crucial in understanding the broader political landscape. Through a meticulous analysis of primary sources and a chronological examination of political events, the paper posits that Russia, recognizing the influence and effectiveness of Batonishvili, strategically targeted him. This targeted approach, as unveiled through the research, played a significant role in disrupting Georgia's European aspirations, profoundly altering its developmental trajectory towards alignment with Russia. The research not only offers a nuanced understanding of historical events but also underscores the intricate interplay between key figures like Batonishvili and the broader geopolitical forces shaping the fate of the Caucasus in the 18th century.

41-74

Authors: Mustafa GÜLER

As is the case in many medieval cities in Anatolia, Birecik also featured a citadel surrounded by city walls. Today, however, since the fabric of Birecik old city suffered extreme destruction, the citadel lies deserted and the city walls are in ruins almost entirely. Only a few traces of the city walls that used to surround the entire city, and only two of the four gates that provide access to the city on the city walls exist today. The two gates at the city walls that have survived to the present day are Urfa Gate and Meçan Gate. Urfa Gate is located on the city walls on the east side of Birecik. The gate provides access from Urfa side. Kule Mescidi (Tower Masjid) stands adjacent to the city wall on the north side of the gate, while two rectangular spaces are present on the south side. Urfa Gate was constructed using ashlar masonry technique. The eastern facade of the gate features compositions made with large stalactites with ornaments in the form of segmented lancet arches, shell-shaped niches, rosettes and palmettes decorating the space in-between the stalactites. There are inscriptions written in extended letters on the round panels on the façade, and also at the kerb extending along the walls of the facade. The inscriptions on the gate reveal that construction of the fortification wall was completed on Ramadan 14, 888/October 16, 1483 during the reign of Kayıtbay, the Sultan of Egyptian Mamluks. Meçan Gate is located on the southeast side of the city walls. The gate constructed using ashlar masonry technique has been partially demolished. The inscription in the kerb on the upper part of the gate traverses all along the gate. The peripheral inscription describes that the construction of the gate was completed in the last ten days of the H.889 / A.D. 1484 under order by Kayıtbay, the Sultan of Mamluks. This study aims to evaluate, regarding the history of architecture, and to introduce two gates at the city walls from Mamluk period, Urfa Gate and Meçan Gate, in Birecik district of Urfa Province, from an architectural point of view, by discussing the history, the period, ornamental features as well as the original state of the gates.

85-93

Authors: Giorgi KAZISHVILI

In contemporary conditions, amidst the swift development of information technologies and fierce competition, companies employ various marketing techniques to attract customers. In order to attract and maintain customers, companies try to create additional motivation for them to purchase their products or services. In this regard, a particular significance is attributed to such a marketing tool as sales promotion, which holds a crucial stance in integrated marketing communications. Certain factors contributed to increased sales incentives. Among them, it is worth noting: the growing power of retailers, fragmentation of the consumer market, competition, declining brand loyalty, increasing sensitivity to incentives, consumer behavior, etc. One of the categories of sales promotion is customer-oriented sales promotion. Among the customer-oriented sales stimulation methods, it’s noteworthy to mention: discounts, samples, coupons, bonus packages, premiums (advertising prizes), brand loyalty programs, competitions and giveaways, event marketing and so on. Sales promotion has both advantages and disadvantages. Benefits include: instantly increasing sales, providing a discount to a price-sensitive customer, building loyalty, increasing awareness of new products (e.g. product samples), attracting new customers, getting rid of unsold inventory, etc. Disadvantages include: May negatively impact on brand image, short-term strategy, sales promotion may not change consumer attitudes and perceptions, increased price sensitivity, low coupon cashing rates and costs, false coupon cashing and fraud, additional costs for companies. The paper showcases the primary trends in the development of customer-oriented sales stimulation methods on the example of chain grocery stores operating in Gori. Based on the results of the research conducted by us in Gori, specific conclusions and recommendations are presented.

111-126

Authors: Oktay KESKİN - Yusuf ALBAYRAK

Paleomicrobiology is a discipline that involves microbiological studies on the remains of microorganisms from ancient ruins. Archaeology is a branch of science that has emerged to fill the gaps other than those revealed by a small number of written sources and to base history on solid foundations, and aims to illuminate the past by examining the remains of material culture (cultural assets) produced by human beings in ancient times. It has become possible to obtain some data from the past through some microbiological examinations from archaeological finds. The use of ancient and historical microorganisms from archaeological finds to reveal information about past human biology, life paths and environments is called "archaeological microbiology", and the study of ancient microorganisms using DNA, proteins or chemical markers, which are the genetic material of cells, is called "paleomicrobiology". By combining archaeology and microbiology, the field offers a unique perspective for understanding the microbial world of past communities. Paleomicrobiology identifies diseases that were common in ancient communities, providing important insights into the health status of these communities. For example, the detection of tuberculosis and various microorganisms in ancient remains helps us understand how these diseases spread among prehistoric communities. Microbial remains play a critical role in revealing ancient migratory movements and microbial interactions between different communities. By identifying migration and trade routes, paleomicrobiology illuminates interactions between different cultures throughout history. This article examines the important contributions of paleomicrobiology to archaeology and its potential impact for the future. Paleomicrobiology provides comprehensive insights into the health status of ancient communities, the spread of disease, the evolution of agriculture and migratory movements. The analysis of microbial DNA from ancient remains provides a better understanding of historical processes and microbial interactions. Furthermore, with future technological advances and interdisciplinary collaboration, paleomicrobiology is expected to play an even more important role in the field of archaeology. In conclusion, paleomicrobiology represents an exciting field of research that offers new insights into human history and explores the microbial world of the past in conjunction with the discipline of archaeology. The advancement of this discipline will contribute to a deeper understanding of the living conditions, health status and cultural interactions of ancient communities.

140-156

Authors: Sibel Bülbül PEHLİVAN

Suudi Arabistan’ın 2000-2010 yılları ve 2010-2020 yılları arasındaki güvenlik politikaları incelendiğinde Suudi Arabistan’ın Rejim’inin güvenliği noktasında iç tehditlerinde herhangi bir değişiklik olmamasına rağmen dış tehditlerinde değişim ve dönüşüm yaşandığı görülmektedir. Dolayısıyla iç tehditleri ilişkili dış tehditle dengelemek için sergilediği ittifak ilişkilerinde iç tehditleri aynı olmasına rağmen ilişkili dış tehditler ve ana tehdit değişikliğe uğramıştır. Bu durumda bize devlet davranışlarının ve ittifak ilişkilerinin anlık güvenlik tedbirleri olarak sürekli yeniden kurulduğunu göstermektedir. Uluslararası sistemin dinamik yapısı olarak da görülen tehditler ve ittifak ilişkilerindeki değişim bölgesel güçler için çok yönlü bir yaklaşımı gerekli kılmaktadır. Bu durum Suudi Arabistan’ın devlet yapısının monarşik olması, halkın devlet dışında rakip bağlılıklara sahip oluşu ve ekonomik özelliklerinin rantiyer devlet oluşu gibi özelliklerinden de kaynaklanmaktadır. İç tehditlerle rejimin güvenliğinin devletin güvenliğinden daha önemli ve öncelikli görüldüğü toplumlar için yerel özelliklerinin de buna müsait oluşundan dolayı güvenliklerini sağlamak için çok katmanlı etkenlere sahip olması gerekmektedir. Suudi Arabistan için bu etkenler iç tehditlerden, iç tehditle ilişkili bir dış tehditten, bölgesel ve küresel tehditlerden oluşmaktadır. Bu durumda Suudi Arabistan’ın iç tehditleri ile ilişkili dış güçlerle ittifak yapmasına, iç ve dış tehdidi birbiriyle dengelemesini ifade eden çift dengeleme stratejisini doğurmaktadır. Çift dengelemenin mümkün olmadığı durumlarda da çeşitli reformlar, sosyal yardımlar ve iş birliği girişimleri devreye girmektedir.

172-183

Authors: Ümmühan AKHİSAR - Enver Alper GÜVEL

One of the most important factors affecting and accelerating the social, cultural and economic development of a country is the education level of women. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether women’s education levels affect foreign direct investment in a country. The relationship between women’s education rate and economic growth rate and human development index was investigated by using the Panel Causality Analysis. The percentages of educated women for the period 1999-2022 were taken annually for 22 OECD countries (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Czech, Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Finland, Poland, France, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Portugal). Economic growth rate and human development indices were included in the models as the control variables. Before the Panel Causality Analysis was applied to test the models, whether there was a cross-sectional dependence in the data was evaluated with the Peseran Caled LM Test and the Peseran CD Test. The Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality test was used after determining cross-sectional dependence and unit root existence. According to the results of the analyses, a one-way causality relationship was detected between foreign direct investment in and out of a country and the education rate of women. The findings also show that there was a bidirectional causality relationship between women’s education rate and human development index. The increase in the education rate of women and the increase in the human development index were considered important in attracting foreign direct investment.

196-215

Authors: Abdulkadir ÖNKOL

Postage stamps, which were products of visual culture on a global scale as of 1840, were also an integral part of letters. Stamp printing was performed by Official Postal Administrations in every country as an important communication tool reflecting the country’s political stance, economic power, cultural, social, artistic and historical values. Stamps, which undertook the task of carrying messages to the masses, played many roles in the field of communication. In this context, 4773 stamps printed from 1863 to October 2023 were examined and more than 200 stamps containing 22 mythological elements were identified within the scope of this study, in which answers to the questions were sought. “Did Turkish mythology find a place for application on stamps? If yes, what mythological elements were used? How was the relationship between power and mythology reflected on stamps?” The study was limited to 11 most used mythological elements on stamps, which were “Tree of Life”, “Horse”, “Fire”, “Grey Wolf”, “Eagle”, “Deer”, “Dove”, “Snake”, “Crescent-Star”, “Tulip”, “Dede Korkut Tales”. The meaning of these symbols in Turkish mythology was examined from the perspective of applied folklore. It is considered that among these mythological elements, except for “Grey Wolf” and “Iron Forging”, they were not used very consciously. However, it can be argued that these symbols were a product of the mythology understanding of the period. Today, when applied folklore studies have against momentum, it has been determined that mythology cannot be fully reflected on stamps. It is also considered that applying the smart stamp technology used in the UK today to the stamps in Turkey, via the existing symbols of Turkish mythology or newly produced images, will enable the stamps to acquire a more functional appearance. This article was written to raise awareness for the re-application of Turkish mythology on stamps with new technological methods.