©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project


Maras

For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...

maps

For photographs please click on the photo...

Maraş
Type:
Relief
Altitude:
m
Region:
Mediterranean
Province:
Kahramanmaras
District:
Merkez
Village:
Merkez
Investigation Method:
Survey
Period:

     


Location: The findspots of the Late Hittite Period from Maras which have been already exhibited in the local and international museums are uncertain; it was found out that the reliefs seen in the modern quarters of the provincial center of Maras and its vicinity are all re-used material.
Geography and Environment:
History:
Research and Excavation: The sculptural works of Maras were coincidentally found by the missioner priests during the last quarter of the 19th century. No systematic excavations have been conducted at Maras so far [Darga 1992:308].
Stratigraphy:
Small Finds: Statue/Relief: It is a monolith statue of a king near the natural size with only the portion below the belly left found in the Maras Fortress in the early 1900. It was carved into a rectangular block, the corners being rounded. The king wears a fringed broad belt and a sword. The inscription on the right side of the statue gives the date as 850 BC. Most alikes of this statue are the king statues of Zincirli and Carchemish, which are already exhibited in the Louvre Museum [Darga 1992:332-333, pics. 316-317]. "The Lions of Marash" are unique among the sculptures of the Late Hittite art. The cubic lions engraved in traditional Hittite style have long and thin bodies. The Lions of Marash mainly supply very important information about the kings of the Marash-Gurgum during the 1st Millennium BC and their family tree with their inscriptions. They are precisely dated to the early 8th century BC. While there appears an Assyrian influence, a specific lion figure was produced in Maras. It indicates that the Maras lions were produced in Maras during which the Aramaean influence was non-intensified [Darga 1992:333-334, res. 318]. Stele/Grave Stele: One of the two stelae related with the Storm God cult found during the constructions at the city center of Maras and at the entrance of the ancient mansions is exhibited in the Museum of Ancient Oriental Artifacts while the other one at the Museum of Maras. In both stelae, the Storm God standing on a flat ground was depicted in high relief. Some parts of the stelae are missing due to destruction [Darga 1992:328]. The funerary stelae of Maras are not royal, but products of rich bourgeoisie with rare examples in the East. The funerary stelae which was brought to light in the Yörük Selim Quarter of Maras and now have been exhibited in the Museum of Adana are among the most interesting and valuable artifacts of the eastern art. The tomb stele depicting a husband and a wife with a sad expression on their face as they passed away bear Hittite and Aramaean characteristics in harmony. Tradition of erecting stelae is a Phonecian or Aramaean feature. The prominent expression of sadness on the faces of the figures represents a huge contribution of novelty by the artist to the Late Hittite Art and the world's history of art [Akurgal 1988b:145-146; Darga 1992:315, pic. 302]. Another tomb stele, which was found at Maras, and now has been exhibited in the Archaeological Museums of Istanbul, depicting a wife and a daughter who express their respect for their deceased father is also noteworthy. Although the elements used here such as cloths, hand glass, spindle head, belt, traditional meatballs (çigköfte), flat breads and wheatear are specific to Hittites, the hair style of the male is of typical Aramaean-Assyrian fashion. This stele was dated to 700 BC [Akurgal 1988b:146; Darga 1992:318, pic. 304]. There is another tomb relief, which was engraved with a very elaborate craftmanship in high relief, and found at Maras, but now displayed in the Louvre Museum. It is the funerary stele of a child, which indicates that he died at a very young age, and his name was Tarhunpias as understood through an inscription on his head. He was depicted in his mother's arms. The beloved son of his mother is both a clerk and a hunter. The box including stylus and papirus or leather sheets on the relief indicate that he was educated. The hawk/falcon on the left hand of the boy is symbol of hunting. The hair style of the boy contributes to the dating of this tomb stele to the 7th century BC as it is a common style observed in the Assyrian kings during that period [Akurgal 1988b:146-147; Darga 1992:316, pic. 303]. The funerary stelea of Maras bear traditional Hittite style as well as a local Aramaean style. As the Assyrians didn't have tradition of tomb stelea, it should have been started with the Aramaeans. The deceased people were depicted on these funerary stelae indicating their occupations with occupational instruments [Darga 1992:309].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating:


To List