what an eye opener, Alameda, thank you so very much for giving us an insight!
http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycia-american-constitution.htm
even more food for thought!!!
Lycian Tombs
All pre-Greek people of Anatolia built beautiful monumental tombs associated with some form of ancestor worship. The Lycians developed this form of art to perfection, no doubt facilitated by the soft limestone of the region. The quality of stonemasonry of the Lycian people is noteworthy and is especially significant in the construction of tombs. Today the entire landscape of Lycia is still dotted with their fascinating funerary monuments. The most recent count has revealed one thousand and eighty-five examples still intact, rock-cut tombs being the most common form. Lycia is famous for the sheer number of tombs and their quality.
One thing that sets Lycian tombs apart from Hellenistic tradition is that whereas in Hellenistic culture the dead were placed outside of liveable areas (often flanking main roads into the cities), Lycian tombs are often integrated right into cities, displaying Lycia's ties with eastern traditions. This is very noticeable, for instance, at Patara, where monumental tombs are proudly placed right alongside the harbor. A monumental temple-tomb is even located beside the huge imperial granary and the main trade center. The Lycians, in effect, were always living with their departed ones.
The Lycians seem to have held a belief that the souls of their dead would be transported from the tombs to the afterworld by a sort of winged siren-like creature, and so often placed their tombs along the coast or at the top of cliffs when they were not integrated into the liveable areas of the cities.
The originality of Lycian art is special among that of ancient Anatolia, expressed especially in its funeral architecture, reliefs and sculpture. Though is was impacted by a variety of foreign influences, it retained a typically Lycian character. Bas reliefs and engraved drawing have been found on 36 Lycian rock tombs; mythological scenes, funerary feasts, battles and animal and figural motifs are some of the themes of the reliefs which are found on tombs dated to the first quarter of the 4th century BC. They have Greek and Persian elements as well as those of Lycian styles (Lycia had contact with the Greek world and was under Persain control for many years during the BC centuries). This is usually expressed (and is especially seen in the dynastic tombs of Xanthos) as a mixture of Persian iconography and Greek style overlaying the Lycian architectural core. For example, scenes depicting funerary feasts, banquet scenes, the inclusion of an audience and hunt and battle scenes are a direct Persian influence and were widespread in the funerary art of Achaemenid Anatolia. (The Harpy Tomb and Nereid Monument of Xanthos are two such examples) Persian influence can also be seen in the smallest details, such as the manner in which a horse is conducted. The clothing and headgear of warriors is often another Persian influence. Greek influence is apparent in mythological scenes and style. Lions, a favorite Lycian royal symbol, are often seen in their funerary art, especially at Cibyra, which had a "resting lion" motif as its symbol.
Round shaped altars decorated with inscriptions or ornamentation were sometimes placed near tombs, such as a necropolis at Patara, and these were used to make sacrificial offerings for the dead. Buried offerings for the dead were varied. Tombs have been found with tear collection bottles, terra-cotta statuettes and people were buried with their jewellery. Coins were placed in the mouths of the dead for payment to Charon. It is sometimes possible to determine the social standing of the person within a tomb, a writer might be buried with a plume and inkbottle. Unfortunately, most tombs have been looted by robbers. This must have been a problem even in the ancient times, since so many tomb insriptions are curses against desecrators (see below 'care of the tombs').
http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_tombs.htm
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