MAULOLEUM OF HEKATOMNOS
THE FATHER OF MOUSOLUS WHO MADE US HAVE THE WORD ''mOUSOSLEUM'' IN THE TERMINOLOGY
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THE HUNTED TREASURE HUNTERS
In 2010, Turkey had witnessed an police operation on which a number of treasure hunters were arrested while they were trying to steal the Historical treasures from a 2400 years old tomb belonging to King Hekatomnos. The authorities say that the tomb is the inspiration for Mousoloseum, the 7th Wonder of the World in Bodrum. Ä°t was found out after the arrests that the illegal treasure hunters used high tech drilling machines in order to be able to create a hole on the marble wall of the tomb which is at least 40-50 cm thick. moreover, they have used about 250 tons of water to cool the machine during the process and let the waste water fill into the monumental burial chamber.
After the robbery, an important study was started to stop this destruction. Italian and Turkish scientists continue to work on restoration, air conditioning and documentation in the tomb monument. These works are of vital importance for the preservation of the remaining cultural assets and for the identification of the abducted artifacts. Intelligence units have found that Hekatomnos's crown is in Scotland.
Masada Today
Hekatomnos Memorial Tomb and Sanctuary which is located in Milas District of MuÄŸla Province which is one of the most important cities of Ancient Karya Region in the southwest of Anatolia.
The monumental tomb consists of the Sanctuary, Temenos Wall, Menandros Honor Column, Podium and grave.
The monument is the only example which was built at the same period with the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus that is accepted as one of the seven wonders of the world.
Mausolus, who was the son of Hekatomnos has brought ''Mousoleum'' word into the terminologhy of History and Archaeology. His tomb is the only example of the tomb of his father which has the same dimensions.
Old photo of Halicarnassus mauloleum which is accepted as one of the seven wonders of the World.
Interior of Hekatomnos Mausoleum
Ä°t is the most important tomb monument of the ancient world and the representative of the cult of the dead, the work of art, the architectural design as well as other important branches of art, sculpture and wall painting art is in the highest level. Especially the Sarcophagus of Hekatomnos is the only example in Classical and Hellenistic Anatolia with its size, quality and prominent personality of its owner.
Caria is a civilization that existed in the Aegean coast until the end of the third century BC. Famous historian Herodotus says that in the early days of Carians they were under the rule of the king of Crete. In some sources, the Karians are called Legleg at that time. Again, according to some sources the Leglegs are slaves of Karians. These uncertainties persist, as there is no written source for Leglegs today.
Homer speaks of the Carians in his Iliad as an ally of the Troians, and also they are barbaric. At that time, Karia was a Greek city of the Ionian Union, and it is even possible to see the Greek tradition that they embraced after the reign of the Persian Empire.
The Persians used to assign a Satrap (Governor) from the nobble persians to the cities they rule. But Karia is separated from the other satraps due to the fact that a nobble Karian Hyssoldomos was assigned as Satrap. After Hyssoldomos, his son Hekatomnos became the Satrap of karia. That era is called as the reign of Hekatomnids.
Karians are the first known mercenaries in history. Ancient Egyptian sources describe the Karians as armored people who came to Egypt with the Ionians. The ancient Greeks say; ”The Lydians are wild, the Egyptians are worse, and the Karians are worse than these“
The historian Herodotus from Halicarnassus is one of the most known Karians. He depicts karians as people who used the handles for shields for the first time, add tassel to the helmet. He also say; they are the tribe who first ornomented the shield in the history.
Hecatomnos on Coins
