NEMRUT DAGI

Album: NEMRUT DAGI: a colossal folly

We hiked the few hundred (vertical) metres to view the tumulus at Nemrut Dagi summit at sunrise in freezing winds.

But there was no sunrise, and actually some snow, through which we traipsed at some points.

Some of the giant heads of gods and kings were still surrounded by snow, which gave them an unexpectedly comical appearance.

Somehow the bleak overcast made a fitting setting to contemplate the enormous hubris of King Antioch who had constructed for himself the biggest tomb monument since the Pharoahs. It’s surrounded east and west by fallen colossi who stare bleakly back at you

Look at Wiki for the exact statistics of the giant cone of baseball-sized rocks which he crushed to conceal his burial chamber, which still has not been discovered after more 2 millenia, as it’s incredibly difficult to tunnel into unstable small rocks.

At the same time its location is announced to surrounding Kommagene by its prominence as the highest point on the eastern end of the Taurus mountains.

To get to Nemrut Dagi from Sanliurfa, we had to change over to a smaller minibus as the road there is through incredibly wild mountain country, often narrow, and there are many very tight hairpin bends.

Until the government forbad it, the few farmers in this area were growing opium-high price, low volume. This all simply emphasizes the lunatic nature of King Antiochus’ project. The logistics alone are mind-boggling.

Antiochus projected himself as on good terms with the gods, as in this frieze from his summer capital where he shakes hands with Heracles (Hercules).

Returning from Nemrut Dagi we crossed the Cendere River on the Roman Bridge which was still in general use till a few years ago.

Another highlight on our way back to Cappadocia was our visit to the old caravanserai in Sanli Urfa. After wandering through the bazaar, we ended up in the lovely old courtyard of this resting place for travelling traders.

Built by Suleyman the Magnificent in 1566, it’s now wonderful place to sit on a tiny stool under the big plane trees, and savour an very good Turkish coffee!…Surrounded by the locals, all male (!!) Chatting, playing cards, drinking tea or coffee. The ultimate coffee shop!! Far removed from Starbucks!

visited on 28 April 2009