Reasons to love Turkey (3)

[catspaw]

Everywhere you look in this country, there are piles of antiquities lying around. Literally lying around in the edges of fields, where they've been cleared away to make space for growing things. Bits and pieces of fluted columns, odd bits of pediments and architraves, capitals, all beautifully carved.



Doric, with its ram's head design



Corinthian, with the acanthus leaves



and composite, with elements of the two



Ephesus has some amazing carvings. About half way down the main street, there are twin statues of Hercules, about arms' width apart. The detail of the flayed skin of the Nemean lion that he's shown wearing is incredible



Since we were last there, about eight years ago, a lot of mosaic pavements have been uncovered



Stunning.

There's a great wee museum in Hieropolis which is stuffed with artefacts and carved sarcophagi, and some of the carvings on the sarcophagi are sensational



A lot of the statues and friezes were vandalised by the Christians, toppled in the case of statues and with their heads or noses knocked off, or with the genitals smashed in the case of the friezes ::sigh:: There were some remarkable survivals though. This was my favourite out of all the sarcophagus figures



I think he's utterly beautiful.

And this was The Man's favourite thing in the whole museum:



I've no idea who this guy is or why he's so pissed off *g*

Comments

[perclexed.livejournal.com]

These are just amazing. I'd have been in so much trouble because I would've wanted to put my hands on all of these to feel the textures and temperatures, and trace the features with my fingers.

[catspaw-sgjd.livejournal.com]

Oh well, you'd have been in hog heaven here then. You can touch whatever you like! Wherever you like!