Nemrud

Nemrut took its place amongst the UNESCO's world heritage list with statue remains rising to 10 meters/33 feet high at the crossroads of eastern and western civilizations at the elevation of 2,150 meters/7,054 feet.

Mount Nemrut attracts the visitors not only because of gigantic statues and the great pyramidal and monumental mausoleum but beause of extraordinarily marvelous sun-rise and sun-set. Thousands of people visit this location just to see this unusual event.

Mount Nemrut is a national park with its historical remains from the Commagene Civilization. The rest of the remains like Cendere Bridge, Arsameia (Old Castle), New Castle and Karakuş Hill are within the boundaries of the National Park.

It is thought that the last priest of the temple of Commagene, left the temple after the defeat of King Antiochos IV to the Romans in 72 A.D. The Christains who settled around het dring the followin 2000 years were not aware of this vast place and were believing that this was the remains of legendary Nimrod mentioned in the Old Testament. For this reason, they named this place after the world's first grand ruler 'Nemrud' or 'Nimrod'. The summet was first explored by German scholar Karl Sester in the 19^th Century. After Sester, Turkish archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey started the excavations.

There are 3 terraces on the summit:

Eastern Terrace
Old worn out stone staircase will take you this terrace. As you arrive to this terrace, you will see 5 gigantic statues sitting side-by-side in their thrones and immediately in front of them the broken heads of these statues.
(From left to Right)
1. Apollon/Mithras/Helios/Hermes (Mercury)
2. Goddess Tyche/Goddess ommagene
3. Zeus Oramasdes
4. King-God Antiochos I
5. Artagnes/Heracles/Ares

It is thought that the height of these statues were from 8 to 10 meters/86 to 108 feet which were made out of lime-stone. If you turn your back to these remains, on the left and right you will see the bases of stellas on both sides. The ones on the left dedicated to the Persian antecedants of leader and king of kings Darius I, and the ones on the right dedicated to the leade of Greek antecedants Alexander the Great. Behind the statue of Zeus are the holy laws or the will (nomos) of Antiochus.

Northern Terrace
When the pilgrims gathered at the skirts of the hill in the valley of mount Nemrud, the servants of the priest served them by bringing water and food. There were two staircases leading the way to the temple and towards the end of these staircases, close to the temple, there were inscriptions warning the pilgrims that they were getting close to the temple and should behave accordingly.

The stairce in the south was for the Commagenean nobles and ended at the Western Terrace. The one in the north was for the public and ended at the Northern Terrace where the last preparations were made in the area in front of the temple before going to the presence of the gods.

Western Terrace
As you proceed around the tumulus, you will reach at the come to the Western Terrace which is accepted to have been the most holy place of the Mount Nemrud. You cam view Mesopotamia Valley, the cradle of one of the civilizations. Sun, moon and horoscope will rise from the left, will be at the peak just across from you and will set on your right. The entry was watched by statue of three-headed gigantic lion. You can see this burried in the ground as you walk towards the lower section. The statues on this terrace represent same characters but are more elaborate.

As you stand in front of the inscriptions (from left to right):

Base No.: Persian Forefathers

1 King of Kings Darius I (522-486 B.C.)

2 Xerxes I (486-464 B.C.)

3 Artaxerxes I (464-425 B.C.)

4 Darius II (Ochos) (425-404 B.C.)

5 Artaxerxes II (Mnemon) (404-359 B.C.)

6 Orontes I (Aroandes) (401 B.C.)

7 Princess Rhodogune,The wife of Orontes ?

8 Name Unknown ?

9 Name Unknown ?

10 Samos I (250 B.C.)

11 Arsames (230 B.C.)

12 Name Unknown (223-187 B.C.)

13 Ptolemaios (163-130 B.C.

14 Samos II (130-109 B.C.)

15 Mithridates I (Callinichos) (109-86 B.C.)

Base No.: Greek Forefathers

1 Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.)

2 Seleuchos I (Nicator) (304-279 B.C.)

3 Antiochus I (Soter) (279-262 B.C.)

4 Antiochus II (Theos) (261-246 B.C.)

5 Seleuchos II (Callinichos) (246-225 B.C.)

6 Seleuchos III (Soter) (225-223 B.C.)

7 Antiochus III (the Great) (223-187 B.C.)

8 Seleuchos IV (Philopator) (187-176 B.C.)

9 Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) (176-164 B.C.)

10 Demitrios I (Soter) (162-150 B.C.)

11 Demitrios II (Nicator) (142-125 B.C.)

12 Princess Cleopatra Thea (The wife of Demitrios II)

13 Antiochus VIII (Grypos) (125-96 B.C.)

14 Princess Tryphaina (The wife of Antiochos VIII)

15 Princess Laodicea (Thea Philadelphos - The wife of Mithridates I)

16 Princess Isias Philostorgos (The wife of Antiochos I Theos)

17 Antiochus I (Theos) (86-38 B.C.)

THE GRAVE OF THREE KINGS
It is known that there is a secret grave in the tumulus of Nemrud. There have been researches since the Roman times to find out the grave chamber to no avail. Probably the reason for this is not because the grave was built underneath of the tumulus but it was hewn out of the massive blocks of rocks and stones way too many meters/yards down below.
Abridged and translated from Kâhtanet.com by K. Can Arman. Thanks to 'International Nemrud Foundation' in Holland.