The Ka.Y.A. project began in Ahlat (East Turkey) in 2007, by Centro Studi Sotterranei / Centre for Underground Studies of Genoa (Italy), in the main project 'Eski Ahlat Sehri Kazis' (The Ahlat ancient city excavation) directed from 2005 to 2010 by Dr. Prof. Nakis Karamagarali (Gazi University, Ankara). The Ka.Y.A. project aims to identify and study the rock-cut sites around Ahlat, as completion of major archaeological excavations in the ancient city located on the northern shores of Lake Van. The Ahlat region is a huge area, at an altitude between 1,700 and 2,500 m, and wedged between massive volcanic systems. During four years of research (2007-2010) the archaeo-speleologist team documented 395 rock-cut sites and underground structures most of which date back to medieval and post-medieval times, relating to different cultures and religions: Armenian, Seljuk, Ilkhanid, Kara Koyunlu, Ak Koyunlu and Ottoman. The results of the first survey campaign were completed in 2007 and published as BAR S2293 (2011), the second campaign 2008 is available as BAR S2560 (2013). These volumes are now supplemented by the new discoveries uncovered during the third season in 2009, with the hope to publish as soon as possible the results of the last mission completed in 2010.

Since 1991, the Centro Studi Sotterranei of Genoa has conducted the exploration, survey and documentation of rock-cut and underground structures located in different regions of Turkey. The Ka.Y.A. project was begun in 2007, with the goal of the identification and the study of rock-cut sites around Ahlat in eastern Turkey, as completion of major archaeological excavations in the ancient city located on the northern shores of Lake Van. It is a vast area, at an altitude between 1,700 and 2,500 m.a.s.l. and wedged between massive volcanic systems. During the four years of research the team documented 395 rock-cut sites most of which date back to medieval and post-medieval times and relating to different cultures and religions: Armenian, Seljuk, Ilkhanid, Kara Koyunlu, Ak Koyunlu, and Ottoman. The results of the first survey campaign were completed in 2007 and published as BAR S2293 (2011). That volume is now supplemented by the data obtained during the second season in 2008, with the hope to publish as soon as possible the results of the subsequent missions completed in 2009 and 2010. Parallel Italian and English text.

This volume presents previously unpublished data (including inter alia plans, photographs, catalogues, sources, geological analyses, water/drainage, travellers' reports) gathered from recent major archaeological investigations into a number of important underground structures from the six districts that together form the territory historically known as 'Cappadocia' (eastern-central Turkey) - Aksaray, Kayseri, Kirsehir, Nevsehir, Nigde and Yozgat. Besides synthetic data (name, location, type, planimetrics), each of the 40 records detailed in this work includes a route-finder, historical and urban-setting notes, descriptions of the underground site and related plan based on instrumental surveys or sketches. Italian and English text.

This is an interim report from the ongoing excavations at Ahlat in eastern Turkey, and presents a premlimary survey of the extensive underground Islamic era settlements. Overall more than 700 natural and artificial cavities were identified and eight independent settlements. All were photographed, with plans provided for the more significant. Parallel Italian and English text.

The 2004 Ani (the ancient Armenian capital on the eastern border of modern Turkey) expedition was devoted to the inspection of the underground structures. The monumental town was built around the 10th century on a platform defined by deep canyons which cut the volcanic rocks of the plateau. The artificial cavities are located all along the walls of the canyons, often in two or more layers. The structures were first investigated in 1915, beginning a process of identifying, exploring and classified more than 800 cave forms. The 2004 mission checked the status of the dwellings with respect to the investigation of 90 years before, to undertake a detailed exploration of some selected dwellings chosen as term of comparison, and to investigate with special care those underground structures which were inside or close to the city walls, in order to establish the relations between the town and the underground sites. The first chapter of the report gives a short account of the objectives of the 2004 mission, together with an overview of the relevant literature and of the history of the town. Chapter 2 deals with the settlements outside the town (the rural settlements). The underground sites inside the town walls are discussed in Chapter 3. The nature of the underground sites is discussed in Chapter 4.