Tracing The Pressure of Capital Concentration On Cultural Heritage Sites From Plan Revisions; Aliağa Kyme Ancient City Case

Authors : Umut Erdem, Sibel Ecemiş Kılıç

Pages : 2031-2062

Doi:10.35674/kent.1588726

View : 120 | Download : 144

Publication Date : 2025-07-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Cultural heritage sites must be preserved for future generations due to their historical, cultural, and scientific value. However, the dynamics of capitalist accumulation exert significant pressure on cultural heritage sites and immovable cultural assets, primarily due to the demand for spatial expansion. Archaeological sites and immovable cultural assets, particularly those in urban areas, are increasingly surrounded by industrial, residential, and commercial developments, placing them under constant pressure from these urbanization processes. This situation creates conflicts and tensions between conservation areas and urban land uses. This study focuses on the archaeological site of the ancient city of Kyme, located in Nemrut Bay in the Aliağa district of İzmir, which is under intense pressure from capitalist accumulation processes. In the case of Aliağa, this pressure on conservation areas primarily stems from significant industrial activities at both national and regional levels. Consequently, the protection of cultural heritage in such contexts is fraught with theoretical and practical complexities. Since the 1960s, continuous industrialization and urbanization have resulted in the ancient city of Kyme being encircled by industrial facilities and ports, leading to modifications in the boundaries of the archaeological site over time. This study examines the shifting boundaries of the ancient city of Kyme and the upper-scale plan revisions that have served as concrete indicators of the increasing urban pressure in its immediate surroundings. The findings reveal that conservation efforts confined strictly within site boundaries have led to the complete transformation of the surrounding landscape, the detachment of these sites from their urban context, and a heightened pressure for further changes to the site boundaries.
Keywords : Arkeolojik Alanlar, Sermaye Birikimi, Koruma Alanları, Endüstrileşme, Kyme Antik Kenti

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