Nemrut

There is something very special about being up high and on top. Perhaps it is the sense of space and the perspective that it gives. And it is more so when there is a lot of time and work involved in getting there. And when the top is ancient and sacred.

The very top of the Nemrut mountain is a huge pile of gravel. The burial mound of King Antiochus who ruled over the Commagene kingdom from 70 to 38 BC. The burial mound is flanked by 2 main terraces, each of which contained huge statues of the King together with the greek-persian Gods Zeus, Apollo, a goddess of fertility/fortune and Heracles. Flanked each end by a lion, representing the earth and an eagle, representing the skies. The 2 metre high heads are now toppled by earthquakes and erosions. They are an impressive and memorable sight that are hard to do justice to in photos.Read more