Mountain of the Gods. How it sounds mystical, powerful and somehow… Greek. Yes, most of the statues found here are indeed from Greek mythology (along with a pair from Iranian and Armenian), but this wondrous mountain of Nemrut, as it is no longer in that country, could freely be called some Turkish Olympus. It is also amazing that no one knows for sure how these large sculptures a few meters high were dragged to over 2100 meters above sea level, considering that they date back to the 1st century BC and that they were tens of kilometers away from the nearest town. times.
And if the name Mount Nemrut bothers you a little to understand what can actually be seen and done here, then it is best to say that this place represents the tomb of King Antiochus and Theos from the kingdom of Komagene, which included the territory that spread through Asia Minor, starting from the Euphrates River. on one side, all the way to the Antitaur mountain range. But let the small size of this kingdom not deceive you, because Komagena played a significant role as a zone of separation between the Seleucid Empire in the west and the Parthian Empire in the east.
By the way, the ruler who is buried in the tomb is the most powerful ruler in the history of this kingdom, best known for his wise decisions that brought prosperity to his kingdom. Given that he was born into a mixed Greco-Armenian family, it is not surprising that the statues of the gods that can be seen here are precisely from these mythologies.
What is interesting is that the temple has completely lost its significance over a long period of history and was almost wiped off the face of the earth. For years, no historical records have been written about the existence of this place, and so it might have remained, if in 1881 the German engineer Karl Sester, who was researching this area, had not appeared on this territory.
He, with the help of the German consul in Izmir, immediately sent a letter to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin, in which he mentioned some statues on top of a mountain in eastern Anatolia. The letter also states that he believes that these statues belong to the Assyrian period, and thus attracts the attention of the academy, which sends one of its members to meet with Sister and conduct a more detailed study, and soon confirms the great importance of this site.
What all the statues can be seen here?
Mount Nemrut
There are two terraces (east and west) where the statues are located, it is important to note that the statues on the east side are identical to those on the west, only slightly better preserved and larger. In addition, the east side is made to make a fantastic sunrise, and the west side.
Zeus
The only one and the one who doesn't need much representation. The Supreme God of the ancient Greeks. The statue was in pretty bad shape when they found it and one part of it, the one with his beard, was missing.
Apollo
His statue is located right next to his father Zeus. By the way, Apollo is known as a God who inspires art, such as music, poetry and dance, and the victory of light over darkness. Unlike Zeus, he is shown without a beard.
Hercules
Otherwise the son of Zeus and Alcmene, known for his great strength and endurance. One of the favorite characters of Greek mythology whose all parts are good and which is believed to be able to prevent many natural disasters.
Komagena
The only female statue you can see here. Komagena was otherwise the goddess of fertility, which is why she is depicted on her head with pomegranate and grapes, which symbolize just this.
Antiochus
Probably the most interesting. The statue represents only King Antiochus, a man whose body is believed to be located in the depths of the pyramid itself.
In addition to the gods, there are two animals in the complex. An eagle representing the dominance of the kingdom of Komagene in the sky and a statue of a lion representing the dominance of the kingdom on earth.