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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Karabur Rölyefleri |
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For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
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Type:
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Single Findspot |
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Altitude:
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m |
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Region:
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Mediterranean |
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Province:
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Hatay |
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District:
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Senköy |
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Village:
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Çatbasi |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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| Location: The reliefs were found in an area locally known as "Karabur" or "Siara", 1 km west of Çatbasi (Karsabul-Karsabay) in the Senköy region, some 25 km southeast of Antakya. |
| Geography and Environment: |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: They were first visited in 1974. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: Relief 1: It was discovered on the road to Çatbasi. Consisting of a single relief, it has a niche measuring 129x57 cm in dimensions and 3-4 cm in depth. With his face turning to the left, the figure has a long hair and beard. It appears that he is praying, with his right hand raising in the air. On the left is an indistinct object, probably a flower. The figure with a long fringed robe bears a long cylindrical and three-horned helmet. Relief 2: Approximately 30 cm longer than the relief 1, the relief 2 has been very well preserved. Carved into a niche measuring 166x142 cm in dimensions, and 1-4 cm in depth, the relief consists of two figures facing each other. Between the figures are helmet of the left figure and six divine symbols. The figure on the left is a god, looking at the opposite figure. The figure with the right hand raising in the air like praying holds a lotus in his left hand. The figure wearing a long and fringed robe with lines of tassels has a three-horned headdress. Also with a sword on his left, the figure is shown from his back. Although the lotus flower is very rare in god figures, he bears typical characteristics of the Assyrian gods, which are familiar from the wall paintings at the Assyrian and Khorsabad palaces. On the other hand, the worshipping figure on the right side is shorter than the god. With his right hand raising in the air, he was depicted as he was greeting. Wearing nothing on his head, his hair is long, reaching onto his shoulders. He is also beardless. Therefore, it can be discussed whether it is a figure of a king or a female. With a long dress, such figures can also be seen on the stele of Bel-harran-bel-usur at Tel Abta, the nagir ekalli (palace herald) from the reign of Salmanasar IV until the reign of Tiglat Pileser III. At the same time, the figure can be compared to the figure of Musezib-Samas, governor of Dur, found at Anaz. A comparison suggests that the worshipping figure is also an official. The figures depicted as beardless probably represent castrated men. The horned headdress among the divine symbols on the Relief 2 represents the deity Assur while the crescent moon represents Sin (deity of Moon), and the winged sun disk stands for Samas (deity of Sun), the spade for Marduk, and stylus for Nabu. The scene of depicting a deity and a worshipping figure was frequently repeated in the Assyrian depictions on wall paintings, reliefs and glyptic art. While the deity usully stands on a podium or an animal, the worshipper is depicted on the ground. Relief 3: It is 15 m away from the Relief 2. Carved into a 104x65 cm wide and 3-5 cm deep niche, the relief was depicted with the same beard, hair, rope and headdress seen in the other divine reliefs. Ordinarily with the right hand raising in the air like praying, he holds a long baton, going behind the body, in his left stiff hand downward. Relief 4: Situated near the Relief 2, it was carved into a niche measuring 119x54 cm in dimensions and 3-5 cm in depth. It has been very heavily damaged, and it bears some divinely features like other reliefs. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: No inscriptions were found on the reliefs. Moreover, it is also not possible to reach to a conclusion about the dating based on the stylistic criteria of the reliefs, which have undergone changes and have been destroyed due to climatic conditions. According to to Libanius of Antioch, the Assyrian Queen Semiramis built a temple called Meroe, which was later on called Artemis by Greeks, near Antakya. And, Tasyürek believes that Karabur and its vicinity can be identified with the Assyrian temple Meroe. |
