Mount Nemrut is perhaps one of the best-known archaeological sites in Turkey. Its massive heads of statues lined up in front of the huge tumulus are an impressive sight indeed. Visiting Mount Nemrut is a kind of ritual in itself, as you need to climb up the steep slope to reach the top, where the tumulus and statues are located. While you climb, you can take rest stops and admire the vistas all around, as it is the highest peak in the area. On the way, I noticed the stones seemed to be sedimentary, which was puzzling. Did the sea level reach so high at one time?
This area had a strategic location between the Seleucid and Parthian empires. It was Mithridates who broke away from the Seleucid Empire and founded the Kingdom of Commagene in 109 BC (ktb.gov.tr). Here, the Greek, Armenian and Persian cultures blended into one. The kingdom was powerful and its lands were fertile and rich. Mithridates’s son Antiochus declared a treaty of non-aggression with the Romans. However, he eventually sided with the Parthians and fell out with the Romans, who then killed him in 38 BC. The Commagene Kingdom was subsequently conquered by the Romans.
Western Terrace of Mount Nemrut
We arrived at this UNESCO site in southeastern Turkey on a September evening. At first, we reached the Eastern Terrace. It was already in the shade. Lined up were the heads of the colossal statues – Antiochus, Commagene, Zeus, Apollo and Herakles, flanked by Eagle and Lion on both ends of the row. Behind them were the 8-9 meters high statues of their bodies. According to the information board on the site, Antiochus I was the King of Commagene and had the statues erected at the highest point of his country, depicting gods and divine symbols, as well as himself, which he thought would be a mark of eternal respect. Commagene is the only female figure in this row of statues. She is the goddess of fertility. Her name is not explicitly stated, but the expression “my fertile homeland Commagene” can be read on the inscription on the back of the statue. The pomegranate and grapes on her head, as well as the fruit on her lap, represent fertility and abundance. The statue of Zeus, the most powerful of the gods and the god of heavens and rain, is larger than the others. Next to Zeus is his son, Apollo, the god of art, including music, poetry and dance. The Eagle statue represents the domination of the Kingdom of Commagene over the skies, while the Lion statue represents the domination of the Kingdom of Commagene over the earth. On a square platform sits the Fire Altar in the shape of a stepped pyramid.
Then why is this site called Mount Nemrut if it was Antiochus who built it? Locals called it Nemrut long before modern archaeology explored this area. People believed that such huge statues and the tumulus could only be built by the legendary giant-king mentioned in the Bible as Nimrod.
The 50 m high tumulus behind the statues is a man-made mound of small chipped stones. I can’t imagine how much work that must have been to make the hill-sized mound of small stone chips, manually, by who knows how many workers.
Heads of statues at the Western Terrace of Mount Nemrut
That was a marvellous sight on its own. The legend says there was a thousand years old king, who lived on Mount Nemrut (kulturportali.gov.tr). His five-hundred-year-old son fell into Lake Van and drowned. The king was so sad that he became ill and died of sadness. A volcanic Mount Nemrut could no longer bear this separation and erupted in grief. It is believed that the mountain, which has not been active since that day, mourns the king and his son.
Walking around the tumulus, we reached the sunny side of it, where the Western Terrace lies. Besides the similar statues, there used to be a bas-relief depicting a lion, now placed in storage to protect it from the elements. It is the famous ‘Lion Horoscope’, the earliest horoscope known to depict this constellation (turkisharchaeonews.net). The lion’s body is decorated with nineteen stars, which seem to be reflecting the Leo constellation. Around the lion’s neck is what looks like a moon. Above the lion’s back are three more stars. They are thought to depict three planets, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. The diagram may reflect the sky at the time when the monument was built. On the Western Terrace, there are also beautiful reliefs of Antiochus’s ancestors, although they are becoming increasingly weathered.
Nobody has found Antiochus’s burial chamber so far. Theresa Goell, who dedicated many years of her life to explore Mount Nemrut, made several attempts at looking for it. It has been thought that Antiochus’s burial chamber could be inside the tumulus and it was dug in several places without success. The tunnels collapsed due to loose stones. The tumulus is unstable, which makes the task more difficult. The more it is dug, the more it destroys the mound. But perhaps that was the whole idea of building it, so that it would not be touched and so that it would remain a mystery. The tumulus has kind of lines or pathways on it, which is another curious feature about it. They could have formed over the centuries by rain and melting snow, which created flow channels on the tumulus.
The weather at the top of the over 2000 m high Mount Nemrut can be harsh. It is definitely colder than down below. It is also prone to thunderstorms and lightning strikes. No wonder the statues have lost their heads in these conditions. But the tumulus itself still stands, igniting curiosity in people and demonstrating its magnificence. Perhaps someday, with new technology, it will be revealed what is inside (or underneath) the tumulus, without having to destroy it in the process. I am looking forward to being surprised!
