^{KILIKIA ARKEOLOJİSİ SERİSİ 7} GRAVES IN RURAL SETTLEMENTS IN MOUNTAINOUS CILICIA _{DAĞLIK KILIKIA'DA KIRSAL YERLEŞİMLERDE MEZARLAR}

From antiquity to the present day, rural areas have retained their importance, and there is a significant link between the development of the countryside and the wealth of the city. The city's need for production from surrounding settlements led to the development of settlements and production in rural areas outside the urban area, which can be defined by the term khora. Numerous factors played a role in shaping the countryside, with geographical conditions having a particularly significant impact on rural-urban relations.

The area between the Silifke and Erdemli districts of Mersin province offers significant insights into understanding ancient rural settlements due to its rich archaeological remains. Our archaeological surface surveys in the region, titled "Rural Settlement Planning and Urbanization (SurveyMersin)," and the numerous academic publications we have released on their results, have created a comprehensive literature for Anatolian archaeology, both in terms of revealing ancient rural settlement patterns and clarifying the relationship between the city and the king.