DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4855#0013
8
ANCIENT MONUMENTS OF LYDIA AND PHRYGIA.
Phrj'gian tomb.
Plate VII.
Christian sar-
cophagi.
Takia, and in-
scription.
Entrance to
Dogan-lu.
Plate VIII.
Monument.
Plate IX.
Plate X.
and in about two hours reached a narrow pass or defile, confined on each side by steep rocks,
covered with pine-trees and stunted oak, and having a streamlet in the middle. On a rock, the
surface of which had been smoothed, and which stood about half-way up the declivity to the right,
but nearly hidden by the trees and bushes, we discovered a very remarkable sepulchral monument, of a
simple but singular appearance, which will best be understood from the accompanying sketch (Plate VII.).
On climbing to the top, I found that the entrance was from thence; but the opening had most likely
been concealed by a stone, which must have been afterwards thrown down, probably by an earthquake ;
for had it been otherwise, another opening, which has been effected in the centre by force (in the
middle of what appears to be a false window or doorway), would not have been required in order to
gain admission. I looked in vain for an inscription ; nor was there any appearance of ornament in
the interior, in which I only saw some of the usual plain sarcophagi scooped out in the rock. This
massive fragment, which has been hollowed out, is detached from the main rock. It is a kind of
ferruginous sandstone, interspersed with small bits of reddish granite. Close by I noticed another
isolated mass, which seemed to have been prepared for a tomb also — perhaps, indeed, for the same
party as the first, but afterwards abandoned on account of some flaw in the stone.
From this we proceeded to the yiiila, or summer quarters of the villagers, where we ordered a
repast, while we went on up a hill, the distance of half an hour, when we reached a spot in a grove
of pine and oak, which was full of handsomely formed sarcophagi, all of which, however, had been
opened. On many of them I observed the sign of the cross, shewing them to be Christian tombs;
but on none did I find any inscription. In other respects they differed in nothing from the more
ancient ones; so that this mode of burial must have been retained long after the establishment of
Christianity. There were here also the remains of a large building, supported by strong buttresses;
it had probably been a church, of which this was the crypt.
On returning to Gombet-li we visited an eminence opposite our oda, at the top of which was
the takia or sepulchre of a dervish. Here we found an oblong marble slab with an inscription, by
which the city (H IIOAIC) honoured one of its meritorious officers. From this, as well as from the many
other remains of antiquity around, we may infer that a city existed here, although, unluckily, its name
has not been recorded. The 28th of May we set off early in the morning, with the intention of pro-
ceeding to Dogan-lu. At the end of the plain we passed a large tumulus, on the summit of which we
noticed some remains of masonry. Shortly after, we entered a noble pine-forest, where we observed a
very singular appearance produced by a number of pavilion-shaped masses of white earth, which, rising
pyramidically in the midst of the wood, had all the semblance of a magnificent encampment, and would,
without hesitation, have been taken for such in any other place. In the position we saw them, it
appeared at first little short of enchantment, so perfect was the resemblance. In two hours from our
starting we entered the gorge of the valley of Dogan-lu.: see Plate VIII.
We had not proceeded far before we noticed on the right a very remarkable monument, somewhat
in the style of that described by Col. Leake, but of a less archaic character, since it exhibits a com-
bination of the Grecian with what I think we may now term the Phrygian style. It is sculptured on
the face of the rock, and seems to represent the form of a magnificent sarcophagus, Although very
much impaired by the injuries of time and exposure to the weather, the intentions of the sculptor are
sufficiently clear (see Plate IX.); but I considered the subject of so much interest as to warrant my
endeavouring to give an idea of the effect produced when the monument was in a more perfect state, as
well as to exhibit more clearly the minutiae of the details: see Plate X. I endeavoured, but in vain,
to discover the entrance into the tomb, of which we may presume this sculpture to be the frontispiece.
We know the great precautions which were taken in former times to conceal the entrance into
ANCIENT MONUMENTS OF LYDIA AND PHRYGIA.
Phrj'gian tomb.
Plate VII.
Christian sar-
cophagi.
Takia, and in-
scription.
Entrance to
Dogan-lu.
Plate VIII.
Monument.
Plate IX.
Plate X.
and in about two hours reached a narrow pass or defile, confined on each side by steep rocks,
covered with pine-trees and stunted oak, and having a streamlet in the middle. On a rock, the
surface of which had been smoothed, and which stood about half-way up the declivity to the right,
but nearly hidden by the trees and bushes, we discovered a very remarkable sepulchral monument, of a
simple but singular appearance, which will best be understood from the accompanying sketch (Plate VII.).
On climbing to the top, I found that the entrance was from thence; but the opening had most likely
been concealed by a stone, which must have been afterwards thrown down, probably by an earthquake ;
for had it been otherwise, another opening, which has been effected in the centre by force (in the
middle of what appears to be a false window or doorway), would not have been required in order to
gain admission. I looked in vain for an inscription ; nor was there any appearance of ornament in
the interior, in which I only saw some of the usual plain sarcophagi scooped out in the rock. This
massive fragment, which has been hollowed out, is detached from the main rock. It is a kind of
ferruginous sandstone, interspersed with small bits of reddish granite. Close by I noticed another
isolated mass, which seemed to have been prepared for a tomb also — perhaps, indeed, for the same
party as the first, but afterwards abandoned on account of some flaw in the stone.
From this we proceeded to the yiiila, or summer quarters of the villagers, where we ordered a
repast, while we went on up a hill, the distance of half an hour, when we reached a spot in a grove
of pine and oak, which was full of handsomely formed sarcophagi, all of which, however, had been
opened. On many of them I observed the sign of the cross, shewing them to be Christian tombs;
but on none did I find any inscription. In other respects they differed in nothing from the more
ancient ones; so that this mode of burial must have been retained long after the establishment of
Christianity. There were here also the remains of a large building, supported by strong buttresses;
it had probably been a church, of which this was the crypt.
On returning to Gombet-li we visited an eminence opposite our oda, at the top of which was
the takia or sepulchre of a dervish. Here we found an oblong marble slab with an inscription, by
which the city (H IIOAIC) honoured one of its meritorious officers. From this, as well as from the many
other remains of antiquity around, we may infer that a city existed here, although, unluckily, its name
has not been recorded. The 28th of May we set off early in the morning, with the intention of pro-
ceeding to Dogan-lu. At the end of the plain we passed a large tumulus, on the summit of which we
noticed some remains of masonry. Shortly after, we entered a noble pine-forest, where we observed a
very singular appearance produced by a number of pavilion-shaped masses of white earth, which, rising
pyramidically in the midst of the wood, had all the semblance of a magnificent encampment, and would,
without hesitation, have been taken for such in any other place. In the position we saw them, it
appeared at first little short of enchantment, so perfect was the resemblance. In two hours from our
starting we entered the gorge of the valley of Dogan-lu.: see Plate VIII.
We had not proceeded far before we noticed on the right a very remarkable monument, somewhat
in the style of that described by Col. Leake, but of a less archaic character, since it exhibits a com-
bination of the Grecian with what I think we may now term the Phrygian style. It is sculptured on
the face of the rock, and seems to represent the form of a magnificent sarcophagus, Although very
much impaired by the injuries of time and exposure to the weather, the intentions of the sculptor are
sufficiently clear (see Plate IX.); but I considered the subject of so much interest as to warrant my
endeavouring to give an idea of the effect produced when the monument was in a more perfect state, as
well as to exhibit more clearly the minutiae of the details: see Plate X. I endeavoured, but in vain,
to discover the entrance into the tomb, of which we may presume this sculpture to be the frontispiece.
We know the great precautions which were taken in former times to conceal the entrance into