Oyuklar

Oyuklar is Turkish for hollows or pits and refers to a broad class of depressions or cavities in the ground. The plural form is oyuklar. In general usage, oyuklar covers natural ground depressions as well as human-made excavations, and the term is encountered in geography, geology, archaeology, and everyday language.

Etymology and scope. The word oyuk derives from a Turkish root related to digging, with the plural suffix -lar forming oyuklar. The term is commonly applied to various hollow features, without prescribing a single precise formation mechanism, which can range from natural processes to deliberate excavations.

Formation and types. Natural oyuklar arise through processes such as dissolution, weathering, erosion, subsidence, or collapse of rock and soil. They may take the form of shallow depressions or deeper cavities and can be connected to underground systems in karst landscapes or other settings. Human-made oyuklar include pits excavated for storage, construction, mining, or waste disposal. In archaeological contexts, pits are often referred to as oyuklar as well, indicating their function as containers or sites for study.

Characteristics and distribution. Sizes of oyuklar vary widely, from small indentations to large, visible hollows. They occur in many landscapes worldwide and are particularly common in areas with soluble rock, high erosion, or extensive historical mining and settlement activity. In field surveys and maps, oyuklar are recorded as topographic or subsurface features that can influence drainage, ecology, and land use.

See also. Related terms include çöküntü (depression or sinkhole), mağara (cave), and maden oyuğu (mining pit).