Tall and slender in stature; with white hair; a quiet but profound voice for us, and the baton he never let go of, he seemed to embody the spirit of the 19th-century gold rush geologists. But he was not after gold; he was after knowledge. Uncle Necip had weak vocal cords; he always spoke quietly. His departure into eternity was also silent. With his wisdom, forged through hard work in the field, and his love for the geology of Anatolia, he will always be remembered with respect. For me, Necip Pehlivan was not just a geologist; he was a sage of knowledge and labour. He was a master who knew how to live knowledge rather than just teach it. With his professional knowledge, field experience, and humanity, he was one of the silent but powerful workers in mining geology in Turkey. I will never forget you, my dear boss. May the earth be as light as the stones you knew…
İsmet Cengiz
Geologist