Grape in the history of Cappadocia.

Cappadocia is located on a very favorable climatic zone for viticulture. Therefore in Cappadocia the history of grape growing is very old.

Archaeological researches reveal that the history of viticulture in whole Anatolia goes back to 3500 years B.C. The findings discovered during researches display that in Hittite period between 1850-1550 B.C vitiviniculture was developed to a great extent and wines were offered to gods during the religious ceremonies. Hittites made laws and applied them strictly to protect vineyards. In the excavations conducted in Alisar-Yozgat some earthenware cups supposed to be used for wine dating back to 1800-1600 B.C have been discovered. In addition to this, the fact that in Alacahoyuk near Corum a golden cup and jar of wine have been found as well as findings of Marmara and Aegean regions such as Lapseki, Çanakkale, Bergama, Bozcaada, Seferihisar show us how wine was important in Anatolia in ancient times. Besides the economic role played by wine as a trade item, we observe that grapes have been consumed as dried fruit and pekmez in these lands all through the history.

By 4th Century A.D St Basil of Cesarea taught the monastic style of life to the people in Cappadocia. Thus religious centers like Goreme, Zelve, Prokopi, Cavusin, Avanos appeared on the scene as large Christian communities which adopted the style of life in large families between 30-50 people. This fact too, provoked a sharp development and increase in the production of wine grape in the region. At this period not only wine but the grape and the grape leaf as well became considered sacred and local people depicted the grape motifs on the walls of the rock churches. In the region today we have a lot of churches called ‘church with grapes ‘ some of the most famous of which are the churches with grape in Zelve valley, Red Valley near Ortahisar and in Cavusin. Many other rock dwellings and churches although not called with this name are decorated with the grapes and grape leafs.
This  increase in the production of grapes reached its peak in 11th and 12th centuries when Christianity in Cappadocia lived its most prosperous period.
Turks who started to settle in the region did not bring such a high threat to the production of wine unlike the Mongolians of Genghis Khan who raided Cappadocia in 13th Century and who devastated the vineyards as well as the villages and the cities. During the Mongolian invasions Muslim Turks and Christians defended their land together against Mongolians.
Two different sects of Islam, the Mevelevi Order in Konya ( so called the order of whirling Dervishes ) and Bektashi Order which is also considered as the basis of the Ottoman Philosophy in Hacibektas in Cappadocia did not prohibit the consumption of wine on the contrary especially Bektashi's placed wine in their religious ceremonies.
Arabic Traveler Ibni Batuta who visited by Cappadocia in 14th century tells us about the vineyards of Cappadocia and European Traveler of 15th century Derschwamm writes about high quality wines produced by Greeks in the region.
The viticulture kept its status together with the religious practices of Christianity all through the Ottoman Period from 15th to 19th centuries. We know that Ottomans did not intervene in the religious beliefs of Christians in Cappadocia and the production of wine did not become confronted with a restriction during this period.
The sharp decrease in viniculture occurred in 1920’s with the foundation of Turkish Republic in 1923 after the independence war. Turkish and Greek governments made a treaty according to which the peoples would be exchanged between the two countries. Therefore between 1923-1925 the Greeks left Cappadocia to go to settle in Greece and they were replaced by Turks who came to Turkey from Thrace region in Greece where they had lived for long centuries.
The replacement of the Christians by Muslims caused an omitment in viticulture, although some of these new comers continued the tradition many of them destroyed the vineyards because of religious reasons and created wheat fields instead.
From 1980’s on we can talk about a rebirth of viticulture in Cappadocia this time not because of religious reasons but because of Tourism. The fact that the flow of Tourists in Cappadocia starting with French because of the fact that the region was introduced to the world by a French priest – then Italians and Spanish. The request for wine from all these nationalities pushed the small scale producers in Cappadocia to increase their productions and then to make investments.

For further details about viticulture in Cappadocia : www.vinotolia.com

Because of the fact that it is quite resistant as plant, it can grow in different climatic conditions even on poorest soils; grape is one of most widespread fruits in the world.

The data about the nutritional composition of grape shows that with its 305kcal, with B 1 and B 2 vitamins grape is also a good medicine. Children can grow with grape, some liver and kidney diseases are cured. In these last years the grape seeds and the oil extracted from them have also become quite popular and have started to occupy a privileged place on the shelves of drugstores.

GRAPES AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OF UCH?SAR