Dovecotes of Iran and Turkey: A Comparative Study of Their Functions and Importance for the Indigenous Cultures of the Regions

Dovecotes are among the most important native buildings of Iran and Turkey. Their importance in the rich culture of the two countries cannot be overemphasized. In Iran, Isfahan province has the most dovecotes, and they belong to the Safavid and Qajar periods, and in Turkey, Central Anatolia has the most and they belong to the Ottoman period. Iranian dovecotes were built only to produce fertilizers to enrich agricultural lands; however, in addition to fertilizer production, Turkish dovecotes were used for the production of meat and gunpowder, which were sold to European countries too—in Iran, for religious and cultural reasons, hunting doves was not common and their meat was not eaten. Turkey is one of the countries where a significant number of dovecotes have been built in different types. Since the construction of these dovecotes was almost simultaneous with the emergence Iranian dovecotes, a comparative study of them in terms of distribution pattern, function, antiquity, and architectural features seems necessary. Thus, the most important research question is what the similarities and differences between Iranian and Turkish dovecotes in the last few centuries are. In addition, the purpose of this study is to investigate the importance of these buildings in Iran and Turkey with regard to political, economic, and geographical relations in the two regions and determine their role in various aspects of economic, cultural, and social life. The results show that environmental conditions have played a significant role in the establishment, diversity of form, materials used, and the purpose of building dovecotes in the two countries. Turkish dovecotes are square, rectangular, or with a circular or oval base (two parts, below and above the ground) and are made of stone or brick in rocky cliffs and away from farms. But Iranian dovecotes are generally brick, larger than the Turkish ones, and are designed in the fields of the plains and along the rivers, in circular shapes and in some cases rectangular (Golpayegan, Khansar, Khomein and Miandoab).