Metallurgical traditions of western Anatolia between folklore and technology
Aziz Cem Kayaalp holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Istanbul University (2020) and a master’s degree from the Archaeology Department at Bilkent University (2023). Specializing in ancient technologies and resources, he investigated metal production methods in the Early Iron Age western Anatolia for his master’s thesis. His work bridges classical studies with archaeology, employing a comparative methodology between ancient texts and material evidence. He participated in archaeological excavations from the easternmost to the westernmost regions of Turkey and maintains active involvement in fieldwork as a metal specialist. He is pursuing his Ph.D. studies at the Institute of Classical Archaeology at Charles University in Prague to continue his research into the lost metallurgical traditions and elucidate their connection to ancient folklore in Anatolia under the supervision of Dr Ümit Güder and Dr Marek Verčík.