SARCOPHAGUS COLLECTION OF THE ISTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS

SARCOPHAGUS COLLECTION OF THE ISTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS

The sarcophagi exhibited in this hall are part of the Museum’s Collection of Stone Artifacts. They  were acquired towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when the Ottoman Empire was dominant in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, and brought to the Müze-i Humayun in İstanbul. as the Archaeological Museum was then known. They stem from towns within a wide geographical range, Western as well as Eastern: Ephesos, Crete, Durazzo (İşkodra), Thessalonica, Tripoli, Sidon (Sayda) and Tyre (Lebanon).

During the period of the Eastern Roman Empire, Asia Minor was an are of great importance. The rich marble quarries of Anatolia were operated by the Empire and marble was used for the decoration of both civil and religious edifices. In the 2nd century A.D particularly, when sarcophagi became very popular, the quarries were in full use. The main quarries were located in Ephesos, Prokonnesos (Marmara Island) and Dokymaion (Iscehisar, region of Afyon)

In Prokonnesos, a large island of the Arake (Kapıdağ), Peninsula, rich in marble beds, the marble produced is characterized by its silvery colour, large chrystals and dark irregular veins. Various kinds of marble monuments, especially sarcophagi with garlands, were produced and deliberately left unfinished for export.

The main center for producing marble sarcophagi was Aphrodisias (Geyre), followed by Ephesos, capital of the province of Asia at the time, known for its several different types of sarcophagi. Other production centers such as Smyrna (İzmir), Hypaia (Ödemiş), Sardes (Sart) and Philadelphia (Alaşehir) were all under the influence of the Ephesian workshops. Sarcophagi with garlands, produced in these workshops were sent to all corners of the Mediterranean. Many of these were additional carving, as we see from surviving examples. The garlands were sometimes held up by animal heads, and Putti or Nike figures were popular. The back and sides were often left unpolished. Another type of sarcophagus with a frieze, from the third quarter of the 2nd century, also from Ephesos, is included in the exhibition. The “Attic” type of sarcophagus, imported from Athens and Attica, became popular and was also produced locally, especially in Dokymaion in the 3rd century. An example of this sarcophagus type found in Ephesos (Inv. 2768 T) contains a scene of judgement on the front carved in the Attic style.

A large number of marble sarcophagi were found in another important province, Syria. mostly from the city of Sidon and surrounding area, although there were no marble  beds in the region. The reason for this is that sarcophagi were imported from major marble quarries such as Dokymaion, Prokonnesos, and Afyon in semi-finished form and then finished in local workshops in Sidon and exported to the Near East. Some of the sarcophagi are made of local limestone. The marble workshops in Sidon are believed to have been in operation during the middle years of the Roman Empire. Characteristic stylistic features of these workshop are garlands made of leaves of flowers, borne by lion heads or Putti, sometimes with a Medusa head decorated with rosettes placed between the garland loops. Mtyhological figures were also popular, especially Psyche with her butterfly wings. 

Judging from local finds, it is clear that there were local marble shops producing sarcophagi also in Thessalonica, Thrace (Selanik, Trakya). These sarcophagi have a particular style of their own, showing the influence of Attican and Anatolian artists.

In the exhibition, sarcophagi from Thessalonica are decorated with scenes of griffon and Putti (Inv.511 T), Dionysiac revels (Inv.366 T) and the story of Hippolytos and Phaedra (Inv.125 T). Most of the sarcophagi from Thrace were found in coastal areas; only a few stem from the interior. The sarcophagi found in Samothrace (Semadirek) Byzantion (İstanbul), Philippopolis (Filibe), Hadrianopolis (Edirne) were imported. Columned sarcophagi from Dkoymaion were found in Byzantion, a box from Assos was found in Komotini (Gümülcine), a lid from Dokymaion with an expertly carved cline scene was found in the vicinity of Philippopolis. Many marble workshop in coastal towns must have beein in full activity, judging by finds of sarcophagi in Traianopolis (Western Thrace), Madytos (Eceabat), Kalliapolis (Gelibolu), Bisanthe (Tekirdağ), Herakleia-Perinthos (Marmara Ereğlisi) and Selymbria (Silivri).

Few sarcophagi, however, have been found in the Black Sea coastal area of Pontus-Paphlagonia. One sarcophagus with garlands was found in Kastamon (Kastamonu), indicating that sarcophagi were imported also to that area. According to one theory sarcophagus production also took place in Kastamon at the end of the 2nd century A.D. In the exhibition, an oosteotheque from Sinope (Sinop) decorated with a scene of Putti and two goats drawing a carriage (Inv.1165 T) resembles sarcophagi with a frieze. A section of a sarcophagus, also from Sinope (Inv.3870 T), belongs to a soldier from Carnuntum (a town in the province of Pannonia, North Italy) who retired and came to work in Asia Minor. This reflects the strategic importance of Anatolia within the Roman Empire in the 2nd century.

A Lycian sarcophagus found in Trysa (Gölbaşı),(Inv.343 T) is an example of a type sarcophagus in use throughout the Roman Period. Unfortunately, as it was impossible to move, the sarcophagus could not be displayed together with the other Lycian sarcophagi in Hall 1.

A clay sarcophagus from Klazomenia (Urla), dated to the 6th century B.C, represents a typical example of this type. These sarcophagi have no lids and wide upper edges decorated with scenes of horses, people, stylized plants and mythological figures typical of the Archaic style. They ware mainly from Klazomenia and characteristic for Western Anatolia. The lids of these sarcophagi are actually plain slabs of stone with no reliefs, which is strange for such a richly decorated box. However, some scholars advance the theory that this may be because the potters wished to display their carving skills in order to procure good sales.

LEAD SARCOPHAGİ

The lead sarcophagi in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums’ collection were acquired in 1885. The were brought from Phoenicia (Fenike), mostly from the town of Sidon, which was part of the Ottoman Empire at the time. They lay in caves which were not very deep and could be entered by descending a few steps.

The sarcophagi are generally thin and long, sometimes one side narrows towards the opposite corners. A decorated clay mould was placed in a pit and liquid lead was poured into it, forming four sheets of lead for the sides and one for the base of the box, a couple of milimeters thick. These sheets were then soldered together to form the box. Sometimes hollow cylindrical tubes, again made of molten lead, would be placed on the upper corner of the box and a lead lid with matching tubes would be fastened to the box. The sarcophagi were decorated by pohenician craftsmen, in their own local style, but influenced by Greek and Roman art. They may be divided into three groups, according to style, between the 4th and 2nd centuries, A.D, geometric, with plain columns or with richly decorated columns. In the first group, the surface is divided into fields by curving ropes and beads the figures of sphinxes, Medusa Heads, Athena, Nike and Psyche were placed within the fields ina geometric pattern. In the second and third groups, the surface is divided into fields by columns, and the frieze is either left plain or adorned with figures of sphinxes, Medusa Heads, dolphins vases daphne and vine leaves, as in temple facades. The scenes on the sarcophagi in the exhibition may be summarized as follows;

MYTHOLOGICAL SCENES ON THE SARCOPHAGUS 

The mythological scenes on the sarcophagus in this hall as follows;

Myth of Hippolytos and Phaedra

(Inv.597 T, Inv.125 T)

Phaedra is daughter of King Minos of Crete and the wife of King Theseus. Theseus has a son called Hippolytos from a previous marriage. After having two children of her own, Phaedra falls in love with her stepson Hippolytos. However, one day Hippolytos falls from his carriage and dies. Phaedra, ashamed and grieved, kills herself.

Myth of Eros and Psyche (Inv.511 T)

The tale of Eros and Psyche, based on a myth from Mietus, is a follows; “Psyche is the youngest and most beautiful of the three daughters of the King of Miletus. Her beauty is fabled and Aproite, jealous that a mortal should have such beauty, orders her son Eros to take her to a mountain top and abandon her there, and that she should marry a dragon. But as soon as Eros sees Psyche, he falls in love with her, takes her to a palace and visits her secretly there. He makes himself invisible for Psyche and commands her never to try and see him. However Psyche cannot help herself and one evening she goes to look at him as he lies sleeping. Her hands tremble from excitement and a drop of hot oil from the lamp in her falls on Eros shoulder. The god awakens and leaves immediately. They remain apart for a long time and both of them suffer. Finally, Aprodite taxes pity on them and they are united…”

Myth of Meleagros (Inv. 2100 T)

Meleagros, a mythical hero, mixes with the Dioscuri, who are young gods, and is killed by Apollo. In the scene, his friends are carrying the body home. The woman to the right, killing herself, is Meleagros’ mother.

Dionysiac Scene (Inv. 366T)

The god symbolizes giving life not only to the vine, grapes and wine, but to all the plants in nature. During harvesting time, animal sacrifices are made in his name, and celebrations take place, with Maenads an Putti joining in the rituals. 

Judgement Scene with Pluto and Proserpina (Inv. 2768 T)