Ancient inscriptions and monuments from the territory of Oinoanda

Abstract

The results of a survey in the territory of Oinoanda led by Stephen Mitchell in 1994 are presented. A number of lost Hellenistic and Roman settlements could be identified through ancient cemeteries and cult furniture such as images, symbols and footings for stelai. A clear association between tombs and cults permitted the term ‘cemetery cults’. Other types of settlement included traces of an ancient village near Patlangiç Yayla, a fortified hill-top site at Düǧer, and a puzzling planned complex on an island in Girdev Gölü. Architectural fragments at Çukurceylan, Kinik and Girdev told of vanished Byzantine churches, and their associated settlements of later date.

Highland gods: rock-cut votive reliefs from the Pisidian Survey

“…The reason for the popularity of weapon-bearing ridergods may lie less in the characterisation of Pisidians as 'aggressive cultureless barbarians' or as generally 'warlike' -statements that probably reflect Greek prejudice -and more in a shared theme of protection (Bracke 1993: 15, 19;Metzger 1952: 16). It is interesting to note that an example of the 'Theoi Agrioi', a standing triad of supposed brother-heroes who carry axes and are joined by dogs or snakes, decorating rock-cut reliefs in the Kibyratis (Smith 1997: 3-5;Milner 2004: nos 17-18, 21), has not been discovered within this group, although the type is attested in western Pisidia (Smith 1997: 10;Gonzales 2005: 267-69). That being said, a group of triad reliefs of Roman imperial date has been published from Termessos, where at least two preserve inscriptions to the 'Theoi Dikaioi' (Fleischer 2008).…”

“…A detailed catalogue, organised by type, follows the main discussion. The two main types represented -the horseman (perhaps the rider-god Kakasbos) and the Dioscuri with 'goddess' -are already well-known from the nearby region of northern Lycia (the Milyas), where several related ones were discovered and published previously, most notably from the cities of the Kibyratis, Balboura and Oinoanda, and their environs (Milner, Smith 1994;Smith 1997;Milner 2004). The catalogue also includes a relief, decorating an altar and discovered in the same survey, that portrays the moon-god Men (O3), whose cult is widely attested in Pisidia (Mitchell, Waelkens 1998: chapter 3;Delemen 1999: 57-64).…”