Paul Smit  Mick Palarczyk | Features, Photos and TextTwo faces, one philosophy |
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FEATURE (Category: Asia | Europe | Turkey | all seasons | spring | cultural-historical | mountains)
Cultural Gems of Eastern Turkey
Cultural Gems of Eastern Turkey
For centuries the eastern part of Anatolia has been a crossroads of many different cultures. Greeks, Romans, Armenians, Seljuks and Ottomans all have left their mark. The giant sculpted gods of Nemrud Dag, sitting on top of a Taurus peak, are the undisputed highlight. But there are many lesser known treasures, such as the Seljuk cemetery of Ahlat and the Armenian cathedral on Akdamar Island in Lake Van.
![Smit & Palarczyk > [TURKEY.EAST 27857]
'Hercules and Zeus on Nemrud Dag-1.'
On top of Mount Nemrud, east of Adiyaman, king Antiochus I (ca. 62 -32 BC) of Commagene built for himself a huge tumulus flanked by rows of giant statues. Commagene was a small independent kingdom squeezed between the Roman Empire and the Parthian (Persian) kingdom. The statues are syncretic deities that represent a fusion of ancient (Zoroastrian) Persian and Greek/Roman gods. Here we see, in the foreground Hercules/Artagnes and to the right Zeus/Ahuramazda. The heads have toppled from statues that occupy a terrace on the west side of the tumulus, which can be seen looming behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.](/img/spacer.gif "Smit & Palarczyk > [TURKEY.EAST 27857]
'Hercules and Zeus on Nemrud Dag-1.'
On top of Mount Nemrud, east of Adiyaman, king Antiochus I (ca. 62 -32 BC) of Commagene built for himself a huge tumulus flanked by rows of giant statues. Commagene was a small independent kingdom squeezed between the Roman Empire and the Parthian (Persian) kingdom. The statues are syncretic deities that represent a fusion of ancient (Zoroastrian) Persian and Greek/Roman gods. Here we see, in the foreground Hercules/Artagnes and to the right Zeus/Ahuramazda. The heads have toppled from statues that occupy a terrace on the west side of the tumulus, which can be seen looming behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.")
[TURKEY.EAST 27864]
'Apollo, Zeus, and a guardian eagle on Nemrud Dag.'
On top of Mount Nemrud, east of Adiyaman, king Antiochus I (ca. 62 -32 BC) of Commagene built for himself a huge tumulus flanked by rows of giant statues. Commagene was a small independent kingdom squeezed between the Roman Empire and the Parthian (Persian) kingdom. The statues are syncretic deities that represent a fusion of ancient (Zoroastrian) Persian and Greek/Roman gods. Here we see from left to right: Apollo/Mithras (the persian god of light), Zeus/Ahuramazda and a guardian eagle. The heads have toppled from statues that occupy a terrace on the west side of the tumulus, which can be seen looming behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
'Apollo, Zeus, and a guardian eagle on Nemrud Dag.'
On top of Mount Nemrud, east of Adiyaman, king Antiochus I (ca. 62 -32 BC) of Commagene built for himself a huge tumulus flanked by rows of giant statues. Commagene was a small independent kingdom squeezed between the Roman Empire and the Parthian (Persian) kingdom. The statues are syncretic deities that represent a fusion of ancient (Zoroastrian) Persian and Greek/Roman gods. Here we see from left to right: Apollo/Mithras (the persian god of light), Zeus/Ahuramazda and a guardian eagle. The heads have toppled from statues that occupy a terrace on the west side of the tumulus, which can be seen looming behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[TURKEY.EAST 27864]
'Apollo, Zeus, and a guardian eagle on Nemrud Dag.'
On top of Mount Nemrud, east of Adiyaman, king Antiochus I (ca. 62 -32 BC) of Commagene built for himself a huge tumulus flanked by rows of giant statues. Commagene was a small independent kingdom squeezed between the Roman Empire and the Parthian (Persian) kingdom. The statues are syncretic deities that represent a fusion of ancient (Zoroastrian) Persian and Greek/Roman gods. Here we see from left to right: Apollo/Mithras (the persian god of light), Zeus/Ahuramazda and a guardian eagle. The heads have toppled from statues that occupy a terrace on the west side of the tumulus, which can be seen looming behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
'Apollo, Zeus, and a guardian eagle on Nemrud Dag.'
On top of Mount Nemrud, east of Adiyaman, king Antiochus I (ca. 62 -32 BC) of Commagene built for himself a huge tumulus flanked by rows of giant statues. Commagene was a small independent kingdom squeezed between the Roman Empire and the Parthian (Persian) kingdom. The statues are syncretic deities that represent a fusion of ancient (Zoroastrian) Persian and Greek/Roman gods. Here we see from left to right: Apollo/Mithras (the persian god of light), Zeus/Ahuramazda and a guardian eagle. The heads have toppled from statues that occupy a terrace on the west side of the tumulus, which can be seen looming behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
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