The Story of Delikli Şile and Its Distance from Amasra

 The Story of the Hole Chile:

Paphlagonia, located on the Black Sea (Pontus Eukseinos) coast, is separated from Bithynia in the west by the Filyos (Biillaios) stream and from Pontus in the east by the Kızılırmak river. The region was called Paphlagonia, meaning "Land of Iron Horses" in ancient times.

The Enet people, who were warriors, fond of their freedom, and famous for their cavalry troops, lived in the region. It was considered the best vanguard unit of the Persian armies. According to historian Herodotus, knitted caps, small shields, short spears, spears and daggers were used in wars.

Some historians state that the horses belonging to Alexander the Great, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Yavuz Sultan Selim were bred in Paphlagonia.

Where is Delikli Şile? How to go ?

Delikli Şile is 15 km east of Amasra and in the Paphlagonia region.

The color of its soil is red due to the excess of iron. The region (together with Çakraz) was named "Eritrinoi" in ancient times due to this feature.

Delikli Şile is in the shape of a peninsula with its panoramic view. It extends to the Black Sea in the north-south direction. There is a beach to the east of the peninsula. When you travel a certain distance in the sea from the west side (i.e. Amasra side), you can see a gap in the middle parts of the island and in the sea.

The northern side of the village is painted in blue, the natural color of the "Konuk Sevmez Deniz", and the south-eastern sides of the bay are decorated with pistachio green.

The history of Delikli Şile has parallels with the history of Amasra, which is very close to it. As in Amasra, Phoenicians, Ionians, Kayrans, Achaeans, Persians and following the Amastris period, Pontians, Romans, Byzantines, Genoese and Ottomans made Delikli Şile (Akkonak) their home.

Regarding Pastor Minas Bıjikyan Çakraz, who visited Bartın and its surroundings between 1817 and 1819; “ Delikli Şile is a place 9 miles away from Amasra, with an unfavorable harbor and a cape called Çakras. Arriaons writes that a Greek people called Eritali lived here.”

Again in the XVIII. Century Ottoman Geography Writer, Uluslu İbrahim Hamdi Efendi, mentioned the following in his work titled "ATLAS": "9 miles east from the seaside, you can pass between a rocky place called Deliklişile, which is divided into two. The town with a mosque and a pier nearby is called Külas (Çakraz).”

Generally, the elders in the village call the highest part of the island as the side of the church. Again, in the central-northern part of the island, there is a water well built with stones, approximately 4X2 in size, dating back to the Genoa period and descended by stairs. It is thought that the place in question was a well to collect rainwater.

Delikli Şile Bay was rented by a company in the past for the purpose of producing salmon. Although cages that allow aquaculture are placed; The mechanism in question was swallowed by the waves in the Black Sea. Until recently, a dog, a guard and the management building constituted the last traces of the mentioned aquaculture.

Delikli Şile's history in sun-sand-sea tourism is parallel to that of Çakraz next door. In addition, it is a very suitable place for angling. The location called Köyüstü provides jumping ground conditions for paragliding enthusiasts. The village houses dotted on the land, the lace-like shores, the "Parade of Love" and its pistachio green rituals offer magnificent views to the spectators.

Although there is no abundance of fish today, fish for Delikli Şileli; It is delicious if caught in the Black Sea. Products other than this (aquaculture) are not given much credit.

Cruel waves with white foam have been beating the shores of Delikli Şile, as in other places, since the formation of the land. This struggle has worn them out. It gave frightening images. The most interesting ones are "Parade of Love" with Karaca Kaya.

Even the writer Uluslu Hamdi, who lived during the Ottoman period about 400 years ago, stated that boats passed through this passage and birds roosted in the secluded places of the passage.

“Passage of Love” is not an ordinary rock hole, it has a different meaning. There is a symbol of love. It is as if the rose tree stuck its thorn into the heart of the nightingale that sang the most beautiful songs there. It became red by feeding on his blood.

People of Delili Şile think that there is a subtle disease in roses. They do not find it appropriate to plant new roses on lands where roses have previously grown or near old rose saplings. Although the reason is not known exactly, it is an obsession that new roses will not grow well in such places and will even die and perish. Ultimately, they arrive at a synthesis. Love is "One". There is no repetition. Just as roses cannot grow in the same soil, there cannot be a second love in the same heart. If anyone claims that it is, either they have not experienced love or they do not know love.

Is there only originality in the passage? No. The love of the wave and the shore is also a ritual in Delikli Şile.

The wave carrying the foam on it is always the lover, and the shore is the loved one. The wave that starts with creation and goes to infinity always rushes to the shore with the desire to meet its love. He touches his beloved with the tips of his fingers and then turns back. He knows that he won't be able to reunite completely, but he can't help but run to the beach. He gives his love and his body without counting with every touch… And then he goes back to eternity… The “Passage of Love” is such a sublime place… It gives pleasant feelings even to the most hardened hearts…

We always made sentences using "Delikli Şile". This noun and adjective have been used side by side for centuries. For some reason, it has become unpopular lately... They threw it away and named the village "Akkonak". But it lacks most features. It does not remind me of love, affection or the color of roses.