Gül GÜLER - Bahattin ÇELİK

Since the early periods of history, rock paintings have been made on the surfaces of rock blocks, rock shelters or caves by engraving, drawing, tattooing techniques or ochre. Rock paintings are in the form of motifs, figures, writings and stamps on rock blocks. Rock paintings are works of art made by communities that lived in historical periods.  The reason why they mostly make such rock paintings is for ritual purposes and it is generally seen that they depict the animals or events they see around them. Therefore, rock paintings, which are of great importance, are priceless works in terms of reflecting the sociocultural characteristics of ancient societies. The rock paintings found in the village of Aliyunus (Tog/Tok) in Siverek District of Şanlıurfa Province differ from other rock paintings found in the region to date. Although it shows similarities with other rock paintings in terms of depicting a hunting scene, it is a unique work in terms of belonging to a later period and showing some differences in the way the figures are made. These paintings, which are thought to belong to the Early Byzantine period (5th-7th century A.D.) thanks to the two cross motifs in the rock painting, were made on a flat limestone rocky ground with the forging technique. The rock paintings depict the use of lassos to hunt wild animals. The way the figures are depicted from the front is characteristic of the period. Although what is intended to be described in the rock paintings is a hunting scene, there are also some traces that it may have been made for ritual purposes.

Keywords: Rock Paintings, Sanliurfa, Siverek, Aliyunus, Toğ, Byzantine Period.