The Çanakkale coast is characterized by terrestrial and marine sedimentary rock resulting from Miocene aged landslide movements.
The low and high magnification views of Gallipoli sand includes quartz and feldspar sand grains, many with right angle edges, along with greenish and black volcanic sand grains. Edges are relatively smooth indicating long exposure to wave and wind action.
Geographic Overview
ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corp) cove and the Bosphorus coastline site of the World War I battle on the Gallipoli peninsula against Turkish forces. The cemetery commemorates Allied forces with loss of 44,000 Allied soldiers, including 8700 Australians and 2779 New Zealanders.
Sand Location
See where this sand sample was collected on Google Maps.
Virtual Sand Tour
Explore an interactive map of Çanakkale on Google Earth.
Sand Gallery
Clear refractile as well as cloudy quartz and off-white and tan feldspar are present along with reddish, green and black volcanic sand grains in this sample. Sand grains have relatively smooth edges worn down by wave action. A red quartz grain (upper center of image) is present in this sample.
This high magnification of clear and cloudy quarts and feldspar, some with black and red inclusions, stand out in contrast to a couple of black volcanic grains and a prominent triangular red quartz grain with a central clear band.
Clear and opaque quartz and feldspar sand grains, some with small foci of black and red inclusions, are present in this sample along with dark, black and red-black igneous rock fragments.
History
Çanakkale
Çanakkale, originally a 15th century Ottoman fortress, is strategically important because of its location at the narrowest point of the southern coast of the Dardanelles. Like Istanbul, Çanakkale has territory in both Europe and Asia continents separated by the Dardanelles strait.
Greeks, Hittites, the Byzantine Empire (Byzantine), the Romans, and the Ottoman Empire (Ottomans) all have habituated Çanakkale. Today Çanakkale is the main base for visits to the archaeological sites of the Trojan War and to the First World War Ari Burnu cemeteries at Gallipoli.
Ari Burnu and Gallipoli
In 1915 a 9-month battle during World War I for control of the Dardanelles strait was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Allied powers (British Empire and France), with appalling casualties (100,000 were killed and 400,000 wounded). The Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) joined British forces and landed at Ari Burnu on the western side of the Gallipoli peninsula to fight against Turkish forces