To My Family and Uğraş Uzun - Bilkent University
To My Family and Uğraş Uzun - Bilkent University
To My Family and Uğraş Uzun - Bilkent University
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4.3 Dimensions<br />
The dimensions of the chest of the sarcophagus differ according to where<br />
the measurements are taken, from the upper or lower edge, <strong>and</strong> from the right<br />
side or the left one. The chest of the sarcophagus has a length of 284 cm at the<br />
top <strong>and</strong> 250 cm at the base. This difference of 34 cm is because the figured<br />
decoration <strong>and</strong> the architrave extend forward from the main body of the chest.<br />
The chest has a height of 118 cm <strong>and</strong> an approximate average width of 124 cm.<br />
On the right side, the width is 123 cm when measured from the top edge of the<br />
chest, <strong>and</strong> 125 cm from the bottom; on the left side, the width is 125 cm at top<br />
<strong>and</strong> 124 cm at the bottom of the chest.<br />
Although the chest of the sarcophagus is not a perfectly rectangular box,<br />
the length of the chest at the base (250 cm) is approximately twice the width (124<br />
cm). As mentioned before, this same proportion is also found in Ionic temples<br />
like the “Erechtheum”, which is 11.634 x 22.507 m, as well as in other classical<br />
sarcophagi, such as the “Mourning Women Sarcophagus” (1.37 x 2.54 m) (Fig.<br />
20) <strong>and</strong> the so-called “Alex<strong>and</strong>er Sarcophagus” (1.67 x 3.18 m) (Fig. 21). It has<br />
been suggested by G. Elderkin that this common proportion of length twice the<br />
width proves the Ionic temples are the predecessors of classical sarcophagi <strong>and</strong><br />
the better known Docimeum sarcophagi as Istanbul A (Selefkeh) <strong>and</strong> Istanbul B<br />
(Sidemara) (Elderkin, 1939: 102).<br />
The lid of the sarcophagus also shows some differences in dimensions.<br />
The length is 250.5 cm at the front <strong>and</strong> 249 cm at the back. The width is 128 cm<br />
on the right side <strong>and</strong> 127 cm. on the left. The full height of the lid measured at the<br />
top of the reclining female’s head is 115 cm, with 45 cm of this height being the<br />
mattress. The head-board measures 58 cm high.<br />
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