As seen, Tunceli is two distinct lands. Its north constitutes core Dersim (Merkez, Ovacık, Pülümür, Nazımiye, Hozat, and the northern tip of Mazgirt). Its south comprises Çarsancak (Pertek and Mazgirt) and Çemişgezek.SOUTHThe historical function of the Sunni and intensely pro-state beyliks of Çarsancak and Çemişgezek was to form a sort of Great Wall of China against the plundering of the Dersim tribes.The question of the origin of the Çemişgezek beys is complex. It appears that by the 16th century at the latest, they chose to become 'Turkish'. The populace, almost all of whom were Armenian at that time, followed their beys' path.The Çarsancak beys, on the other hand, are a mix of Kurdish and Turkish. The peasantry of Çarsancak remained predominantly Armenian until the 19th century. Their languages were Kurdish (Kurmanji) and Turkish. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Armenians of Pertek gradually became Turkified. In Mazgirt, Kurdish identity predominated.NORTHMore than two-thirds of the old village names in Dersim are Armenian. However, by the end of the 19th century, there was no dense Armenian population in the northern districts, aside from three to five households found in almost every village. In Dersim's highly anarchic environment, it appears that a) due to the absence of churches and schools, the Armenian populace adapted to local animist beliefs, and b) a few Armenian families were maintained in each village for functions requiring specialized skills.In the north, among the Zazaki-speaking tribes, there are socially esteemed Alevi groups in small factions claimed to be of Turkish origin. One can consider these to be refugee elements who took shelter in Dersim during the 16th-century persecutions of Alevis. It even seems to me (though I am not certain) that Dersim Alevism is simply a blend of local animist beliefs with the teachings and practices of Alevism brought to the region by the Turks in the 16th century.