A MYSTERIOUS CENOTAPH IN AVANOS

Writer: Yavuz İşçen
May 2008

Tumulus word suggests a grave room, which is built over a plain area, and an artificial small hill, that is formed afterwards by accumulating stones and soil over the former one. It can be said that tumuli are some kind of Egypt Pyramids that are built up of accumulated small stones. Tumuli used to be built mostly for kings, important commanders and for a few rich people. It can be said that the size of the tumulus is usually in correlation with the importance of the person who lies in it. Tumuli used to be built either on a plain ground or on a mountain in order to make its effect sharper. In our country there are hundreds of tumuli in different regions. Many of these are still under the ground, waiting to be excavated. Today, tumuli from Lydia, Phrygia, Greek and Roman periods are among the most important tumuli.
Çeç tumulus is the highest and most gripping one among the tumuli in Nevşehir region. It’s 30 m in height and located about 10 km south of Avanos. It can be easily seen from Avanos. Its perimeter is 300 m and it seems like a cone placed on a mountain plain as a table. Broken stones are used as accumulation material for building the tumulus, and it was built on a mountain. Being built on a mountain and being built up of broken stones are similar characters which Kommagene Kingdom’s tumuli had. French researchers Claudine Coindoz and Michel Coindoz agree that Çeç tumulus might belong to one of the Cappadocian Kings. Doubtless, these approaches will gain clearance after new excavations and archaeological findings. Çeç tumulus seems to carry on its mystery until science world obtain new tips.

Note: This article has been published in Peribacası Cappadocia Culture and Publicity Magazine, May 2008 issue. It is under protection of the copyrights of the magazine. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by electronic, mechanical or other means without prior permission from the owner. www.cappadociaexplorer.com