But in fact a possible solution was not difficult to find. The kind of research for which my brief anthropological training had fitted me was the study of a small and relatively close-knit community. At the same time, the greatest gap in our knowledge of Turkey was, and still is, how the villagers live. I therefore chose to study one village thoroughly and a somewhat different village in rather less detail.
Although it was not possible to choose a `typical' village, because no such thing exists, it was at least possible to avoid choosing villages with obvious peculiarities. I set out to find an orthodox Muslim, Turkish-speaking village of modest size, fairly far away from the direct influence of the cities, on the plateau which forms the largest part of Anatolia. My final choice was unscientific. When the staff of an American school and clinic situated in the right kind of area, near Kayseri, generously offered to provide a base, and to help with some acute practical problems, my wife and I accepted with gratitude and enthusiasm.
I was in Sakaltutan from November 1949 to August I 950, my wife joining me in March. It had an excellent water supply, more or less regular lorries into Kayseri, and eleven other villages within an hour and a half's walk.
In 1951 we returned to the area. From August to November we lived in the second village, Elbashï, some five hours' walk east of the first, and, in the summer vacation of 1952 I returned alone to this village for two months. I chose Elbashï because it appeared to provide certain contrasts with Sakaltutan, being richer, more dependent on agriculture, more sophisticated, and less isolated. It was also the centre of the District, Nahiye. In fact, as it turned out, it was the similarities which were the more impressive.