Zeugma Fırat Seleukeia’sı Nekropol Oda mezar Hypogeum Arcosolium Loculus Tümülüs Lahit Mezar Steli
This
paper presents an evaluation of data obtained from field surveys that took
place in the necropoleis of Zeugma (Seleucia on the Euphrates) between 2008 and
2010. The necropoleis appear to have developed along the ancient roads that led
from the city and are located to the east, west and south. Featuring a
beige-yellowish coloured soft limestone bedrock, low-lying hills, valleys and
slopes, the local geography defined the nature of tomb architecture. Tomb types
include “rock-cut cist; rock-cut chamber tomb (hypogeum); tumulus; sarcophagus and tomb stele.” Although rock-cut cist
is typical of the eastern necropolis, it has been noted in recent studies that
they also exist in the southern necropolis. Moreover, field surveys have
revealed traces of such tombs in the western necropolis as well. This tomb type
must have been used from the Hellenistic period until the mid-1st
century AD. Rock-cut chamber tombs must have become more popular after the city
grew and the legions were deployed here during the Roman imperial period. This
tomb type frequently consists of a front room that can be identified as a vestibulum and a main burial chamber that is designed to
resemble a triclinium. Besides this double chamber type, there are also
examples of single-chambered hypogea. In this type, the burial is made in cists
underneath arcosolia carved into the walls of the burial chamber. In the case
of loculi carved vertically into the wall of chamber tombs, the body was laid
in cists or directly on flat floor surfaces. These tombs have elaborate
decoration featuring freestanding statues outside the tomb, frescoes with
floral patterns and mythological figures, architectural features, rock reliefs inside
and/or outside the tomb. These indicate that some of the tombs were
commissioned by wealthy families. It is possible that some tombs belonged to collegia. It is known that this tomb
type, which exists in all of the necropoleis, was used from the Hellenistic
period (ones with loculi) until the 4th
century AD. Tumuli are found to be concentrated more in the southern and
western necropolis. Until now only one tumulus has been excavated at Zeugma. A
hypogeum consisting of two rock-cut chambers was discovered underneath this
tumulus during the excavations that took place in 2006. Ornamental sarcophagi
are only known to exist in the southern necropolis, while undecorated
sarcophagi have been found both in the eastern and the southern necropoleis.
The garland sarcophagi, which appear to be a local copy of Proconnesian
sarcophagi, must be from the late 2nd–early 3rd century
AD. The tomb stelai in Zeugma frequently use the eagle to symbolise men and the
basket to symbolise women. In such portraits, figures are depicted alone, in
couples, or as families. These portraits suggest that women in particular
prefer Oriental elements, as seen in Palmyra, while men seem to prefer the
Roman fashion. While inscriptions are mostly in Greek, there are also a small
number in Latin. The inscriptions follow a standard template that includes the
name of the deceased, name of the father and the expression “ἄλυπε χαῖρε”.
Otherwise, information like date of death or age, and various words of
consolation are rarely seen. The names on the inscriptions suggest that people
of Semitic, Greco-Macedonian and Roman decent lived together in Zeugma. It is
known that in some cases the mouth of the loculus was closed with tomb stelai,
as seen in Palmyra. In addition, some stelai had been placed outside the tomb.
Stele-shaped rock reliefs suggest that tomb stelai may have been used in the
niches inside the chamber tomb. Tomb stelai were used frequently from the mid-1st
century AD until the mid-3rd century AD. However, there is also an
example from the 4th century AD. The citizens of Zeugma regarded
their tombs as a domus aeterna – eternal
residence with their frescos, stele-shaped tomb reliefs, statues and spaces
that can be defined as the vestibulum
and triclinium. It is possible that
visitors came to the tombs for funerals, commemorations, and festivals to
honour the deceased with ceremonies similar to those carried out at home. The portraits
and names on the tomb stelai are particularly important indications about the
origins of the city’s inhabitants. As for the self-portraits of the deceased,
they feature both eastern and western characteristics. Information obtained on
burial traditions from the Zeugma necropoleis suggests that this multi-cultural
city was a place where different cultures interacted.
Zeugma Seleucia on the Euphrates Necropolis Chamber tombs Hypogeum Arcosolium Loculus Tumulus Sarcophagus Gravestone
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Archaeology |
Journal Section | Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | November 18, 2019 |
Submission Date | April 18, 2019 |
Published in Issue | Year 2019 Issue: 45 |
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