Determination of Grave Locations with High Resolution Ground-penetrating Radar (GPR) in War Cemeteries: Sample Study of Biga (Çanakkale) War Graves

Abstract

The most important turning point in Turkish history of the Çanakkale War, known in English as the Dardanelles Campaign, the Battle of Gallipoli, or the Battle of Çanakkale, involves many omissions in terms of historical records due to the situation facing the country at the time and the threats from both internal and external enemies. Though there is very valuable information like notes and maps left by officers in the Ottoman army (Col. Şevki Paşa etc.), due to the intense severity of the war much important information has not been transferred directly to the present day. Most probably, one of the areas with greatest omissions is the location of war grave sites (martyr’s cemeteries). The main reason for this is considered to be the excessive number of fallen soldiers or martyrs and the extreme loss of life in a very short period. In spite of these negative aspects, the locations of many war grave sites have been determined by detailed research by historians and the use of maps drawn during wartime. However, in these cemetery areas, approximate locations were defined for war graves and in line with this, areas were fenced off as war cemeteries. Using the same logic, an area close to the location used as Biga War hospital during the Çanakkale War was renovated and opened to visitors as Biga War Cemetery with gravestones in certain locations. The high-resolution, non-destructive shallow geophysical method of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has long been used with the aim of identifying structural elements that are buried (graves, tunnels, archeological remains, etc.). In line with this, its use to research war grave sites in areas known as war cemeteries will illuminate the past and contribute to reorganizing war cemeteries according to war grave locations and providing the necessary importance and respect that war cemeteries deserve.