Burial practices were central to ancient Roman life. The hope of being remembered and the need to honor the deceased was a common goal of Roman society. When Roman funerary monuments are examined in a broad context, new archaeological studies on death focus on human remains, burial rituals, and memory. The door-type grave stelae evaluated within the scope of the study are material culture objects of different sizes and shapes, including depictions of the deceased and inscriptions describing the deceased, as well as indicating the grave of the deceased. Through the definitions of material culture and objects, which are frequently used in the study, the depictions on the stelae are defined not by their primary designations and functions, such as tools, but as pure objects that are stripped of any meaning and functionality. The depictions of these material culture objects vary. Before defining these depictions, it is necessary to understand the symbolic language used in the depiction of various figures and objects. Only in this way is it possible to assess the status, belief, and character of the owner of a grave stele within society. So, this study focuses on four door-type grave stelae from the Uşak Museum. Although the exact provenance of stelae is unknown, they were acquired by the museum through purchase. These stelae provide valuable information about the social and economic status of individuals living in the Phrygian region, as mentioned here, and shed light on the burial customs of the period. The goal of the study is to include these stelae within a typological framework, establish their dates, and analyze their symbolic meanings through stylistic and iconographic comparison, both within their immediate context and with examples from other regions. 

Under the heading of typology, the stelae in Cat. No. 1-4 are included in a typology by comparing them with their own contexts and examples of stelae with similar styles in different regions (Fig. 1-Fig. 4). In the typological evaluation of the stelae, it is concluded that the previous studies are insufficient to include them in a specific typology and that they should be included in a local typology with the studies to be carried out on the newly reached or to be reached stelae. The stelae in Cat. No. 1 and 2, which share a similar typology, are classified as Aizanitis Type 5a/Type C, Aizanoi 6a/Type IIa, or Tip C Altıntaş. The stele in Cat. No. 3 is classified as a "Door Stele with Niches," following Lochman’s classification due to its unique features. The stele in Cat. No. 4 is categorized as Aizanitis Type 5/Type C, Aizanoi Type 6b/Type IIb, due to its sima on the pediment and the door frame. Similar examples have been assigned to Type VI B with double doors by Jes.

The stylistic and typological diversity of these stelae may be attributed to the cultural contact between regions and the attractive choices of ethnic groups. The development of new patterns to emphasize ethnic identity is reflected in the stelae’s diverse designs. Local populations and migrant groups interact to shape this type of development in cities across Asia Minor. In addition, this situation can be defined by the fact that the door-type grave stelae were widely seen, especially in the Roman Imperial Period, and that society found ways to express their identities in the context of belonging to the Roman Empire, enabling their identities to be visibly displayed. Although the precise origin of these door-type funerary stelae remains uncertain, it is likely that they, which became a fashion of the period, were adopted by the Romanizing contemporary provincial society during the construction of their identity. 

Under the heading of Iconography and Decorations, the symbolic meanings of the depictions on the stele within the funerary iconography are examined. The depictions reveal that they can have both decorative and symbolic meanings. A full interpretation is only possible when the entire iconographic composition is analyzed, allowing for a deeper understanding of the cultural and economic conditions in which these stelae were produced.

Under the heading Figures and Portraits, the symbolic expressions of the figures and portraits, especially in Cat. No. 3 and 4 are discussed. The decoration of the stelae with portraits of the deceased is important for understanding how the people of the period represented themselves.

Under the heading Objects of Daily Use and Gender Roles, the depiction of daily use objects on the stele in Cat. No. 1-4 and the symbolic gender roles they represent are analyzed. In the analysis of this symbolic language, it is evident that the role model of women as wife-mother figures during the Roman Imperial Period was adopted in provincial funerary art through the depictions of spindles and spinners, baskets, mirrors, and combs, which are weaving tools. Similarly, objects like open diptychs, money pouches, and falx vinitoria serve as symbolic expressions of a man’s status as an educated citizen, professional, and landowner.

Under the heading Herbal Decorations, the symbolic meaning of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) and acanthus (Acanthus mollis L.) depicted on the stelae (Cat. No. 1 and 3) is analyzed. The grapevine, often associated with the gods in ancient cultures such as Egyptian, Greek, and Roman, helps reveal how people related to nature in antiquity. Acanthus (Acanthus mollis L.) is a plant that expresses the idea of rebirth, appearing to be dead in summer but beginning to grow again in early fall. It is also associated with maidenhood, representing uncultivated soil, wisdom, and the struggle for life.

Under the heading of Animal Depictions, the lion figures on the stelae (Cat. No. 1-3) are examined, along with bird depictions, including a bird resting on a basket. Lion depictions are associated with power in various ancient cultures, symbolizing the desire for unrivaled dominance, much like the lion’s status in the animal kingdom. The depictions of male and female lions hunting on a bull’s head on the stelae in Cat. No. 1-2 in the study symbolize the death of the bull figure and the departure of the deceased to the afterlife. The creation of a new life in the afterlife with the death of the bull is also compatible with the belief in Mithraism, the official religion of Rome. It is believed that the god Mithra sacrifices the head of the cosmic bull sent to him to create life, and a vine plant grows from the blood that irrigates the soil, allowing living beings and life to come into existence. It is understood from this myth that the bull figure actually has a common symbolic expression with the vine plant. Bird depictions may represent the deceased’s fondness for these animals, pastoral life, or the loyalty of the grave’s owner.

Under the heading of Epigraphic Evaluations, the inscriptions on the stelae are analyzed to understand how the owners of the grave stele expressed themselves through symbolic language. The inscriptions support the visual language used in the iconographic representations, adding further depth to the symbolic messages conveyed by the stelae.

Finally, the typological, iconographic, and epigraphic analysis of the four door-type grave stelae from the Uşak Museum reveals that they provide information about the social and economic status of the grave owners in the region. These stelae were evaluated, compared stylistically and iconographically with their own contexts and similar stele examples from different regions, and dated. The stelae in Cat. No. 1-4 appear to date between the 2nd-century AD and the first quarter of the 3rd-century AD. When the stelae in Cat. No. 1 and 2 are evaluated typologically with the comparison examples, it is seen that they are quite similar to the Aizanitis Type 5/5a or Type C Altintas types. Moreover, the fact that these two stelae have been accessed by the stonemasons who created the iconography of male and female lion hunts of these types indicates that various joint/collective works were carried out. In this case, the fact that they exhibit the characteristics of two types suggests that stonemasons working in the workshops in these regions, but who were traveling, may have made stelae specific to their own regions in different cities. Another possibility is that the grave owners used stelae produced in the workshops of Aizanitis or Altintas. Moreover, it is observed that the stelae in Cat. No. 3 and 4 are very difficult to include in a specific typology due to their unique characteristics. For this reason, it was concluded that the previous research was insufficient and that they should be included in a local typology with the studies to be carried out with the new stelae identified/to be identified.

Another important subject of the study is the analysis of the symbolic language of the iconography and decorations on the stelae, which show great variety. The grave stelae, which have both a visual language and a written language with the depiction of various figures and objects within the burial traditions of the dead, enable us to evaluate the community, social environment, city, artistic elements, and belief systems of the city. These descriptions were analyzed by supporting them with both symbolic and mythological expressions and inscriptions. As a result, the evaluations made in the studies of door-type grave stelae reveal that they should be assessed not only in terms of typology, iconography, or inscriptions but also as inseparable parts of a whole. The door-type grave stelae, along with their typology, iconography, and inscriptions, are presented to the scientific community by analyzing them as a whole and in support of each other.