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Arslantaş

A couple of portal lions are standing near the Yeniköy village of Darende and are referred to locally as Aslan Taşlar (Lion Stones). They were first reported in 1858 and are apparently standing in situ, although there is no trace of a building or gate. Badly weathered lions have no inscriptions. However, based on the style, they are estimated to be from the 12th to 10th century BCE. A very similar portal lion found in nearby Sevdili village is now in the Kahramanmaraş Museum.


Click on the pictures for larger images.

J. H. Haynes, 1881 C. Süer, 2011 C. Süer, 2011 E. Anıl, 2011 C. Süer, 2011 C. Süer, 2011 C. Süer, 2011 E. Anıl, 2011


Literature:
Di Filippo, F. & Manuelli, F. "Hic sunt leones. Iconographic analysis and computational modelling for the study of the Iron Age free-standing lions of the Elbistan plain (south-eastern Anatolia). Asia Anteriore Antica. JANEC 3, 2021: 43–72.
Hawkins, J. D. Corpus of Hieroglyphic Luwian Inscriptions, Vol 1, Berlin, de Gruyter, 2000: 329.
Meriggi, P. "Quinto viaggio anatolico," OA 5, 1966: 72—73 and plts. XIX-XX.
Özgüç, T. and N. Özgüç. Ausgrabungen in Karahöyük 1947, TTK Yayınları V. Seri No.7. Ankara, 1949: 11-15 and figs. 16-17.
(List of Abbreviations)


Image sources:
John Henry Haynes, 1881, Harvard University Library
Cüneyt Süer, 2011.
Ertuğrul Anıl, 2011.