Göbekli Tepe

• Developments around the property that may have an effect on the landscape and visual integrity and archaeological potential of the property
• Proposed railway line at the site
• Visual impact of the irrigation zone to the south-east and quarry to the west of the property
• Need to strengthen the protection measures for the buffer zone 
• Development of the management plan 

N/A

On 30 November 2022, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, an executive summary of which is available at https://unesco.org/en/list/1572/documents/. Progress on a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

• Details are provided of the legal protection of the property, buffer zone and wider management area, as well as the work been carried out to maintain, conserve and protect the property in response to the Committee’s request for information on the monitoring of developments that may have an impact on the landscape, integrity and archaeological potential (cleaning work, construction of a permanent shelter and addition of soil, balustrades repairs). It is noted that only ‘compulsory infrastructure’, which requires consent, is allowed as an intervention in the property;
• Following a detailed transport survey, the route of the railway line, previously projected 2.5km south of the property, will shift to 4.5km south of the boundary of the management area and will run parallel to a road highway. Project documentation will be sent to the World Heritage Centre and impact assessments may be undertaken if judged necessary;
• Regarding the betterment of visual impacts, the State Party considers that the inactive quarry 2.5km to the west of the site is not intrusive and does not have a negative effect on the setting of the property. The majority of the heaps of material resulting from the creation of an irrigation channel to the southeast of the property have been removed under appropriate supervision;
• The archaeological field survey, which will form the basis for reassessing the degree of statutory protection of the buffer zone, commenced in July 2022 and will continue until 2025. Significant quantities of Palaeolithic and Neolithic surface finds have been discovered. Prehistoric activity areas and potential camp/settlement areas were identified to the south and west of the property. As a precautionary measure, until this survey has been completed and its implications assessed, no development consent will be granted, with the exception of compulsory infrastructure;
• With regard to further developing and strengthening the Management Plan, the five-year implementation of the current plan expired in January 2022 and the process of revising the plan has been initiated. This will include the preparation of a full conservation plan and a risk preparedness plan. A draft Visitor Management Plan has been prepared and is under evaluation before submitting it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
• The site manager and the Head of Excavation closely follow all works and the expert assigned by the Directorate of Sanliurfa Museum closely monitors the works and cooperates with the site manager, who reports monthly to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism;
• Various raising awareness activities are reported involving local communities and including primary school children, local populations, and disadvantaged groups;
• Following the devastating earthquakes that struck the provinces of Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Şanliurfa and Malatya in February 2023, the State Party of Türkiye informed the World Heritage Centre on 7 and 23 February 2023 that no damage occurred to the World Heritage property of Göbekli Tepe.

Progress has been made on some of the Committee’s recommendations and useful clarifications provided, for example on the commencement of the review of the management system. However, important elements of the recommendations have not been fully developed and require further work.

Useful information is provided on maintenance, conservation and protective measures for the property, as well as on the designations in place to protect the property, buffer zone and management area. However, these are not especially relevant to the issue of close monitoring of the impact of developments, although the proposed railway line to the south of the property is discussed.

In relation to clarifying the impact of ‘compulsory infrastructure’, the legal process of consent is cited. The Protection and Use Provisions in Archaeological Sites, Decision 658, 5/11/99 of the High Council for the Protection of Cultural Properties only refers to ‘Compulsory infrastructure (electric, water, etc.)’. It appears that protective measures to prevent negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property are taken only after consent is granted. The Committee should reiterate its recommendation that the potential negative impact of developments around the property be closely monitored. The Committee may wish to recommend that formal assessment of compulsory infrastructure should take place before consent is given and should be communicated to the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with Paragraphs 110 and 172 of the Operational Guidelines.

The preliminary details of archaeological field survey in 2022 are welcome and the Committee may wish to recommend the continuation of this work as a basis for reassessing the degree of statutory protection of the buffer zone. In addition, noting that the archaeological survey has revealed significant finds and prehistoric activity in the management area close to the route of the proposed railway line, the Committee may wish to reiterate its request that a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of this development be carried out, in accordance with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context.

The response concerning the recommendation on the irrigation channel and quarry is noted and the action taken appropriate. In relation to the disused quarry, concerns remain regarding the negative visual impact of the quarry, as it is visible from the property. The Committee may wish to recommend that further amelioration be implemented.

The formal review and strengthening of the Management Plan are noted. The Committee may wish to recommend the use of the Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0 in this process. The commitment to completing a full conservation plan is noted. This should be accompanied by an Action Plan and dedicated resources. The urgency of developing a comprehensive risk assessment and risk preparedness plan was highlighted by the February 2023 earthquakes. The property is located within the strong impact zone of those earthquakes. A risk assessment should include the Sanliurfa Museum where excavated material is stored and exhibited. It is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to submit, as a matter of priority, to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, the revised Management Plan, including comprehensive conservation and risk assessment and risk preparedness plans, with details of baseline data and monitoring protocols, including on conservation work, risk assessment, visitor satisfaction, community involvement and broader environmental indicators.

The draft Visitor Management Plan should be incorporated into the revised Management Plan. Once finalised, the draft Visitor Management Plan should be sent to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to its approval.