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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Büyük Kapi Kaya Aniti |
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Type:
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Sanctuary |
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Altitude:
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m |
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Region:
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Aegean |
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Province:
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Afyonkarahisar |
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District:
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Ihsaniye |
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Village:
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Üçlerkayasi |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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| Location: It lies 1.8 km and 6 km southeast of the Aslankaya Monument, and the Döger Subdistrict, respectively in the Ihsaniye District of Afyonkarahisar. It was carved into one of the low rock masses, approximately 50 m far from the road leading from Döger to Üçlerkayasi Village to the north of the dirt road. |
| Geography and Environment: Almost 20 m to the northwest lies a stepped rock altar. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: According to C.H.E. Haspels, it was discovered in 1897 by J.G.C. Anderson. Called as Büyük Kapi Kaya, the monument is locally called Halili Kaya due to decorations on it. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: Facing the west, the monument is 2.92 m high from top of the rock to the platform in front, and 7 m wide, and 1 m high above the ground level. The western façade of the tuff mass measuring 4x7x4.5 m in dimensions was only dressed with a niche in the lower section. Within the niche is a relief of the patron goddess as in the monuments of Aslankaya, Kumcabogaz Kapi Kaya and Küçük Kapi Kaya. In front there is a wide and large platform. Its surface has been extremely eroded. Decorations are only noticeable under efficient light. Face and body of the goddess' relief have been damaged. The mid part of the acroterion was carved by treasure hunters to place explosives in recent years. Finally, the relief of goddess was diminished by exploding it with dynamite in the summer of 1996. Here there is also a sacred area consisting of a façade and an altar. It has a rectangular face wall, measuring 2x7 m in dimensions. It was framed on both sides and top. Above at the center is a curved acroterion in the form of a crescent. The surface of the rock was decorated by relief and carved chessboard pattern on both sides. Probably both these patterns and the acroterion highlighted that the monument symbolically continued upwards. Above the frames are decorations by a series of lozenge patterns on both sides. At the center is a rectangular niche with a goddess relief. The surface of the wall on the right and left sides are decorated with geometric patterns. The rectangular niche measures 1.8x0.55x0.7 m in dimensions. The standing patron goddess was depicted frontally in high relief in front of the rear wall of the niche. She wears a high cylindrical headdress (polos). It touches the ceiling. Her face has been completely damaged. The outer contours of her long dress are apparent. Her toes emerge under her dress. The goddess is flanked by two rectangular pedestals on the floor of the niche, adjacent to the rear and side walls, measuring 0.25x0.4x0.16 m in dimensions. The small, deep holes on the rear wall at the level of the pedestals should have been related to fixing the cult elements placed on the pedestals. Haspels believes that the pedestals belonged to the lion figures, which were placed into the niche later on. A 1.5/1.7x7x1 m platform was formed in front of the monument, extending along the front, by levelling the lateral and frontal surfaces of the bedrock. No comment can be made about its original appearance due to erosions and breakage on the surface of the rock. At the center there is a rectangular, long and shallow pit, with a dimension of 0.8x5.6x0.2 m. On the frontal surface leg of an animal carved in relief is seen on the preserved section of the levelled rock surface to the left. F. Naumann, based on this relief, suggests the presence of a frieze consisting of animal reliefs originally on the frontal surface of the platform. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: |
