To My Family and Uğraş Uzun - Bilkent University

Other examples of sarcophagi with architectural decoration are
occasionally, though not characteristically, found in Klazomenai around the mid-
6 th century (Fedak, 1997: 174). These “Klazomenian” sarcophagi were made of
local reddish clay and had extensive painted decoration applied at the top and the
sides of the chests. One example is from Izmir (Fig. 19). Here, there is a small
Ionic column at the centre of the pediment giving the impression of supporting
the gabled roof.
From the 5 th century onwards, sarcophagi with architectural decoration
became more popular. In Asia Minor, it is possible to see numerous elevated
Lycian sarcophagi with a monumental character from that time on. However,
these examples lack columnar decoration, as they were intended to imitate local
timber architecture in a more durable form (Fedak, 1997: 175).
The 4 th -century high podium temple tombs, such as the “Nereid
Monument”, the “Heroon” at Limyra and the “Mausoleum” at Halikarnassos, had
clear effects on the non-elevated sarcophagi of the era (Borchhardt, 1978; Fedak,
1997: 176; Mansel, 1999: 423; Borchhardt, 1999). The 4 th century “Mourning
Women Sarcophagus” is an example of the application of architectural features of
the temple tombs to sarcophagi (Fig. 20) (Mansel, 1999: 422; Fedak, 1997: 176).
The pseudo-peripteral arrangement of the sarcophagus allows 18 women to be
placed among the columns.
On the so-called “Alexander Sarcophagus” (Fig. 21) of the late 4 th
century, the arrangement is less architectural than the “Mourning Women
Sarcophagus”, as the chest is filled with reliefs. However, it has been suggested
that the architectural ornamentation resembles that of the Tholos at Epidaurus
(Fedak, 1997: 177).
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