A Sarcophagus and its Iconography from the Seljuk Period in Eskişehir Eti Archaeological Museum
Decorated tombstones from the Middle Ages seen in Central Anatolia and its surroundings are generally in the form of sarcophagi, rams, sheep and horses. These tombstones have been produced since the 12th century. On their surfaces, mostly feature depictions of humans, horses, lions, deer, birds, mountain goats, rabbits and snakes/dragons. It is seen that the figures in question are brought together with different and crowded compositional setups. One of the tombstones with this feature is currently exhibited in the stone artifacts section of Eskişehir Eti Archeology Museum. In the work with inventory number A.449-08 (A-161-68), a deer and a rabbit between two lions are placed on one of the side surfaces. This scene, in which the animals in question are shown in motion, gives the impression of a prey/ animal struggle at first glance. However, given the context of the scene and the symbolism of the lion, deer, and rabbit in the Middle Ages and earlier periods, an alternative interpretation appears plausible. In this study, an attempt was made to analyze the iconography of the scene on the sarcophagus. For this purpose, the symbolism of each motif and especially its connection with death were examined, taking into account their use on tombstones of the same period.
Eskişehir Eti Arkeoloji Müzesinde Yer Alan Selçuklu Dönemi’ne Ait Bir Sanduka ve İkonografisi
İç Anadolu ve çevresinde görülen Orta Çağ Dönemi’ne ait bezemeli mezar taşları genellikle sanduka, koç, koyun ve at şeklindedir. Bu mezar taşları 12. yüzyıldan itibaren üretilmeye başlanmıştır. Bunların yüzeylerinde daha çok insan, at, aslan, geyik, kuş, dağ keçisi, tavşan ve yılan/ejderha betimlemelerine yer verilmiştir. Söz konusu figürlerin farklı ve kalabalık kompozisyon kurguları ile bir araya getirildiği görülmektedir. Bu özelliğe sahip mezar taşlarından biri de Eskişehir Eti Arkeoloji Müzesinde taş eserler bölümünde sergilenmektedir. A.449-08 (A-161-68) envanter numaralı eserde yan yüzeylerinden birine iki aslan arasında kalan bir geyik ile bir tavşan yerleştirilmiştir. Söz konusu hayvanların hareket hâlinde gösterildiği bu sahne, ilk bakışta bir av/hayvan mücadelesi izlenimi vermektedir. Fakat sahnenin kurgusu ile aslan, geyik ve tavşanın Orta Çağ ve öncesinde yüklendiği manalar göz önüne alındığında farklı bir değerlendirme de mümkün gözükmektedir. Bu çalışmada sanduka üzerindeki sahnenin ikonografik çözümlenmesi yapılmaya çalışılmıştır. Bunun için her bir motifin aynı dönem mezar taşlarındaki kullanımları da göz önüne alınarak sembolizmi ve özellikle ölüm ile bağlantısı irdelenmiştir.
Throughout human history, graves have been given great importance. This is in keeping with the beliefs and rituals that developed around the cult of death. However, in the case of inhumation burials, special attention was paid to the tombstones placed on the ground to identify the location of the deceased. There is a rich appearance in the tombstones that are made in different shapes and sizes. The writings and decorations on the surfaces of the tombstones also contribute to this. Tombstones with these features naturally contain cultural, social and religious data. It also reflects to us the periodic changes, tastes, and interactions. In this context, the decorated tombstones produced in Anatolia in the Middle Ages, especially during the Anatolian Selcuk period, deserve the attention they attract. In addition to being magnificent documents about the religious, cultural and artistic environment of the period in which they were produced, they also shed light on death-oriented beliefs. In particular, the figurative decorations on the tombstones are the best example of this situation. For this reason, a sarcophagus that is now in the Eskişehir Eti Archaeology Museum was taken to the center of the study.
The sarcophagus, which is the focus of the study, is currently exhibited in the stone artifacts section of Eskişehir Eti Archeology Museum. While the work was previously located in Seyyid Battal Gazi Complex, it was transferred to Eskişehir Eti Archeology Museum between 31.06.1968 and 30.11.1981, according to the museum catalogue record. The sarcophagus is made of solid limestone and it has dimensions of 60x120x147 cm. On the sarcophagus without a pedestal; the entire prismatic cover part is decorated with text. According to the information in the text, the sarcophagus belongs to Mahmud bin Muhammed. The tombstone was made in 1311. There is a grooved strip just below the cover. This strip goes around all four sides of the sarcophagus. There is a figurative decoration made with the scraping technique on only one side of the sarcophagus. There is a deer with long antlers with its head turned backwards, a lion on either side of it with its front legs in the air, mouths open as if lunging and a rabbit in the corner. The tombstone, which has fine workmanship, does not have a head or footstone.
The figures and composition on one side of the work were the focus of attention for some researchers. In the evaluations, the scene in question was described as a hunting or fighting scene. Again, each figure is interpreted individually. In particular, the lion and the deer are discussed in terms of their struggle, oppositional principles, and various symbolic aspects. However, there have not been many comments on the rabbit. Again, most research focuses on style and origin. Especially, the connection of the figures with Central Asia has been frequently examined. It has also generally been the subject of study along with similar figures in other tomb structures of the period. However, the relationship between these creatures and the scene itself with death remains in the dark.
First of all, the work was produced in the Anatolian Seljuk period. It is known that figurative decorations, including lions, dear and rabbits, were used in many dears from architecture to handicrafts during this period. There is, however, a different world of meaning in each of these works. Nevertheless, the figures mentioned also found a place in works related to the death cult, from monumental tomb structures to tombstones. It can be seen that different compositions have been created in each of them. There are many figured sarcophagi and tombstones produced in the 13th and 14th centuries. Again, in the 15th century, the use of figures on gravestones continued, albeit in small numbers. These works, located in Afyonkarahisar, Kırşehir, Tokat, Malatya, Kırşehir and Konya, show that the use of figures was especially common in Central Anatolia. In general, figurative decorations are seen on tombstones on the side surfaces, covers or headstones. On ach tombstone, the deer, the lion, and the rabbit are brought together in a variety of compositions. Another point of interest is the appearance of the deer on sarcophagus-shaped tombstones produced in the Balkans in almost the same period. However, the exact scene in the work does not appear anywhere else. So the scene is unique. Therefore, in order to interpret the scene in the work, it is necessary to study each character individually and then evaluate the composition as a whole.
Although the deer in the center of the composition is a hunting animal, it has different meanings in many cultures and religions. However, interestingly, it is a creature that has been directly associated with death from prehistoric times to the present day. The available findings show that deer skulls or antlers were placed in and on the graves. This reveals his direct relationship with death and the afterlife. Again, in the context of soul, underground spirit, and hunter-prey narratives, it turns into a metaphor for death. Especially in hunter- prey narratives, it is indirectly associated with fate, that is, life itself. Due to the double lions on the sarcophagus, the lion figure is one of the most frequently used figures in the Anatolian Seljuks. The lion, which is generally considered in connection with power, protection, frightening, talisman and astrological/cosmic, is also the symbol of light and illumination. Tomb structures are generally considered in two contexts. In the first one, lions, which are the symbols of light and the sun, were mostly seen as assistant spirits or spirits in the journey of the dead to the sky, guard spirits, and, together with various tree of life symbols, as vehicles for the soul’s transfer to the afterlife. It has also been interpreted as the symbol of caliph Ali and the symbol of sovereignty. In other words, it has been claimed that the owner of the tomb was a member of an order or a ruler. The rabbit located in the upper corner of the stage also has multiple meanings, such as deer and lion. Rabbit as god, taboo, sacred, substance or prey animal; it also appears in the context of underground spirits or life in the afterlife. Again, in medieval works, it refers to heaven-sky and eschatology with accompanying plants or celestial bodies. However, especially when written sources of the same period are considered, it is seen that the rabbit is a symbol of soul and heaven. In some societies, it is also accepted as death or a harbinger of death. This situation continues to this day. For example, among Tahtaci people living in Anatolia, seeing a rabbit while walking on the road is interpreted as death. Especially in the “Twelve Animal Calendar”, it is stated that there will be many deaths in the year of the rabbit and that this year represents hardship, cold and losses. Considering all this information, it is understood that the rabbit has a close connection with death.
As a result of all this information, it seems correct to interpret the figures on the sarcophagus in Eskişehir Eti Archaeological Museum from a different perspective. First of all, the work is a very important example in terms of reflecting the culture, art and belief environment of Medieval Anatolia. Because the figures are in a work that directly reflects beliefs about death and the afterlife. Naturally, these should be evaluated with a focus on death rather than their general symbolic features. Again, it would be correct to name the entire scene, which is described as the hunting scene, differently. In particular, the deer between two lions directly refers to death, the soul, that is, the deceased person himself. Lions, the symbol of light, are positioned to illuminate the path of the soul, protect it, guide it, and even surround the soul by taking it between them, without attacking the deer, but attacking it. The rabbit, which is shown running to get out of the frame, has been added to the scene as a harbinger of death, bad luck (which is also bad luck), or death itself. Despite this scene, which is unique among the tombstones, the presence of the lion, deer and rabbit on contemporary or successive tombstones and in tombs and tombs also reveals the relationship of these figures with death. Although other works have different compositional setups in each unit- and each work should be examined on its own- the use of common figures strengthens this. An important question to ask here is " why the use of figures in tomb structures in a certain period and geography?”.
As it is known, Medieval Anatolia; it is fed from three different sources: the Iranian-Sassanid environment, the indigenous cultures of Anatolia and Central Asia. Especially Central Anatolia and its surroundings, under the rule of the Anatolian Seljuk State, became an area where this rich artistic and architectural production could be directly applied. Naturally, it is not uncommon for such tombstones to appear in this geography where different tastes meet and are synthesized. Again, the fact that these are the result of cultural and artistic interaction should not be overlooked. As a result, even though the tomb owners were Muslims, they did not forget the beliefs they brought from Central Asia and were able to synthesize them with Islam.
