Nemrut Daǧ

 

Turk. Nemrut Dağ, mountain in SE Turkey, in the Anti-Taurus Mts. Rising 7,052 ft (2,150 m), it is the site of the mausoleum of Antiochus I (c.69–c.34 B.C.), king of ancient Commagene. The complex, which includes a 500-ft- (152-m-) wide and 164-ft- (50-m-) tall pyramidal tomb, gigantic (c.30 ft/9 m) stone busts of the kingdom's gods and rulers, and a wall with magnificent carved reliefs, is one of the most impressive monuments of Hellenistic civilization. The gods depicted, worshipped by Antiochus and his people, represent an unusual merging of Western (Greek) and Eastern (Persian) cultures, reflected in such divine names as Zeus-Oromasdes and Apollo-Mithras. The Mount Nemrut ruins were discovered in 1881 and declared a UN World Heritage Site in 1987.

Turkey also has a volcano named Nemrut

Nemrut Dağ*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Turkey
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii, iv
Reference	448
Region†	Europe and North America
Inscription History
Inscription	1987  (11th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Nemrut or Nemrud (Turkish: Nemrut Dağ or Nemrut Dağı, Kurdish: Çiyayê Nemrûd, Armenian: Նեմրութ Սար) is a 2,134 meters (7000 ft.) high mountain in eastern Turkey, 40km north of Kahta, near Adıyaman. At the top of Mt. Nemrut, King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built his tomb-sanctuary along with huge statues (8-9 meters high) of himself, two lions and two eagles, and various Greek and Persian gods such as Hercules, Zeus-Oromasdes (associated with the Persian god Ahura Mazda), Tyche, and Apollo-Mithras in 62 BC. These statues were once seated, with names of each god inscribed on them. The heads of the statues are scattered throughout the site; the pattern of damage to the heads (notably to noses) suggests iconoclasm. There are stone slabs, with bas-relief figures on them, that are thought to have formed a large frieze. These stones display the ancestors of Antiochus, who were Macedonians and Persians both. This tomb contains stone carvings of gods, such as the head of an eagle.

The same statues and ancestors found throughout the site can also be found on the tumulus at the site, which is 49 meters tall and 152 meters in diameter. The statues have the likeness of Greek facial features, in conjunction with Persian clothing and hairstyling. The western terrace contains a large slab with a lion, showing the arrangement of stars and the planets Jupiter, Mercury and Mars on July 7 62 BC, the possible time when construction began on this monument. The eastern portion is well preserved, being composed of several layers of rock, and there is evidence of a walled passageway linking the eastern and western terraces, from a path below at the foot of Mount Nemrut. Possible uses for this site might have included religious ceremonies, due to the astronomical and religious nature of the monument.

The arrangement of such statues is known by the term hierothesion. Similar arrangements have been found at Arsameia on Nymphaios at the hierothesion of the father of Antiochus, Mithridates I Callinicus.

This tomb was excavated in 1881 by Karl Sester, an engineer from Germany. Subsequent excavations have failed to reveal the tomb of Antiochus. However, this is still believed to be the site of his burial. In 1987, Mt. Nemrut was made a World heritage site by UNESCO. Tourists typically visit Nemrut during June through August. The nearby town of Adıyaman is a popular place for car and bus trips to the site, and one can also travel by helicopter. The statues have not been restored to their original position, although this would not be difficult to do.

See also

• Queen of the Mountain--a documentary about the excavation of Nemrud dagh

External links

• Nemrut Guide with Photographs
• Mount Nemrut
• Les sculptures du Nemrud Dagh (French)
• Mount Nemrud Guide and Photo Album
• Mount Nemrut

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey
Archaeological Site of Troy · Historic Areas of Istanbul · Göreme and Rock Sites of Cappadocia · Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği · Hittite Capital of Hattusa · Hierapolis-Pamukkale · Mount Nemrut in Commagene · Safranbolu · Xanthos-Letoon

National parks of Turkey

Akdağ • Alacahöyük • Aladağlar • Altınbeşik Cave • Altındere • Ayvalık Islands • Başkomutan • Beydağları Coast (Olympos) • Dilek Peninsula–Büyük Menderes Delta • Gallipoli • Göreme • Güllük Mountain (Termessos) • Hatila Valley • Mount Honaz • Kaçkar Mountains • Karagöl-Sahara • Karatepe-Aslandağ • Kızıldağ • Köprülü Kanyon • Kurşunlu Waterfall • Kuş Cenneti • Küre Mountains • Lake Abant • Lake Bafa • Lake Beyşehir • Lake Kovada • Marmaris • Mount Ida • Mount Ilgaz • Mount Munzur • Mount Nemrut • Spil Mount • Saklıkent • Soğuksu • Troy • Uludağ • Yedigöller • Yozgat Forest

Coordinates: 38°02′07″N, 38°45′48″E

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