Sarcophagus of wreaths found in Stratonikeia – History

An ornate sarcophagus carved with garlands and highly reliefs have been found in excavations of the ancient city of Stratonikeia in southwestern Türkiye. In a city filled with Roman sarcophagus, this is the best example of garland decoration and one of the most preserved sarcophagus ever made.

[Professor Bilal Sogut, head of the Stratonikeia and Lagina Excavation Team,] There are still lifespans around the sarcophagus, and explains: “Nearly 2000 years ago, the richness, grandeur and wealth of this era can still be seen. Plants, especially the beautifully garlands, carefully crafted plants. The grandeur of this era, even if you look at the head of a ram, you can understand the wealth and glory of that era.

The sarcophagus was found in Agora, the political and religious center of the ancient city, but this is not its original location. It was taken out of the city’s cemetery and moved to Arora in the late ancient times. The cemetery has been damaged by a lignite mine, so ancient moves may save the sarcophagus from harm or even damage.

Evidence of human settlements in the region dates back to the late Bronze Age (1500 BCE), but the remains of the city are now, and what we see today are mainly Hellenized and Roman cities. Stratonikeia is named after Stratonice (281-261 B.C.), the wife of its founder Antiochus I Soter. It was a member of the important urban alliance of Chrysaorian in the Kariya province of Anatolia and continued to flourish under the leadership of the Roman Empire. Public buildings such as baths, theaters, Bouleuterion (the house of the council) and the largest gymnasium in the ancient world were built in the first and second centuries. The gymnasium is home to the region’s top gladiator training schools.

Archaeologists believe that in the era of the Empire, there was a marble carving workshop or seminar there. It provides sarcophagus for local burials, which are so precious that they are also exported to customers outside Anatolia. The newly discovered sarcophagus will be on display along with other sarcophagus unearthed from the ancient city.