Anatolia Antigua XV (2007), p. 147-164

Murat DURU KAN'

DEAD CULT IN OLBA REGION DURING HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN PERIODS

There are graves in various different forms within the territory of the priestly dynasty of Olba located in eastern Rough Cilicia (Map 1). They reflect the properties of different burial customs. However, these graves are not only important from the architectural point of view but they also bear impressive clues on the dead cult. Moreover, the highly developed symbolism and the intensity of the divine symbols in the dead cult are important in lightening the religious structure of this region'.

1. Burial customs

It is generally not possible to judge how it was decided to use either of the practices of cremation or inhumation in the ancient period. It is observed that one of these practises became dominant over the other from time to time. However, the contem¬ porary use of both is seen in many cultures and periods. The criteria considered for this preference can be listed as: the local customs not yet defined for each region, believes, personal preferences changing periodically with the fashion of the peri¬ od, geographical and economical reasons2.

Especially, many grave forms belonging to the Roman period indicate that the inhumation practise was dominant in the Olba region. There are plenty of clues pointing to inhumation during the Roman period even though the grave forms had changed. In some of the chambers, there are stone couches bonded into the wall functioning as kline (Fig. 1). Besides this, it was observed that sometimes couches carved in the rock outcrop in form of a trough (Fig. 2) or a plain kline, and that sometimes independent sarcophagus were preferred. However, in some chambers, no elements in form of a couch are found. In this case, it can be suggested that a

wooden kline was used for the same purpose. Consequently, the front face of a rock-cut sarcoph¬ agus found in Karabôciilû was carved in a form resembling a wooden kline (Fig. 3). It is very expressive that a furniture part with all its details was reflected on the rock.

This example, gives a clue indicating that the deceased was reclined on a wooden kline in the graves which do not bear any stone couches. Besides this, there are many sarcophagi, chamaso-ria and rock-cut tombs, all of which could be dated to the Roman period and later pointing to inhuma¬ tion.

That the inhumation custom was practised already during the Hellenistic period in the Olba region is evident from 'monument 1' in Hisarkale constructed with polygonal walls3 (Fig. 4). In the chamber with triclinium , there are 5 niches on 3 of the walls (Fig. 5). It is possible to evaluate these niches as special compartments for burial gifts. Besides this, another suggestion is that these nich¬ es were possibly carved for the urns and the burial gifts were laid on the kline s4.

Since excavations are rare in the Olba region yet, there are points of obscurity related to the Hellenistic period. One of the most negative results of this situation reflects on the subject whether cre¬ mation custom was present or not. It is rather diffi¬ cult to determine the presence of this custom for the Hellenistic period. However, some findings give important clues that cremation was practised at least during the early Roman period. This helps to make inferences related to the customs of the Hellenistic period.

The first of these clues is found on the inscrip¬ tion of a rock-cut tomb belonging to the first half of the 1st century A.D. in Kanlidivane5 (Fig. 6). In this