Sayı 11- Ocak/Mart 2013 - Antalya Rehberler Odası

Our Thracian Countryman: ORPHEUSSuleyman DINGIL, Tour GuideRecently, we find news in thenewspapers concerning Orpheus.Ozgen Acar tells us aboutOrpheus in his article entitled:“Minstrel Orpheus Returns” inthe Cumhuriyet Newspaper datedDecember the 2 nd , 2012. Hereports that the Orpheus mosaictaken from Urfa will be returned,and he asks when another mosaic- that depicting one of the Maenadspulling Orpheus to pieces- will be returned. In a later newsitem, it was reported that the Orpheusmosaic had been returnedand been introduced to the publicby the Minister Ertugrul Gunay ata press conference held on December6 th , 2012, in Istanbul.However, the most interestingand the most beautiful Orpheusmosaic, the picture of which isfrequently illustrated in foreignbooks on mythology, is the OrpheusMosaic known as theTarsus Mosaic, which is exhibitedon the wall of the large hallof the Hatay Museum, Antakya.Who was Orpheus?Orpheus was a musician, aguitarist-like lyre player, and aThracian countryman of ours,just like a friend of mine. Andthere is an Orfe Farm in Yenikoy,near Antalya.On the 225 th page of Sefik Can’sbook Mythology, Orpheus isdescribed as: “Apollo’s sonaccording to one legend, orthe son of Oiagrus, the rivergod, according to anotherlegend, and his mother wasthe muse called Calliope.”Orpheus made suchpleasant sounds with hisOrpheus Mozaiği, Hatay Arkeoloji Müzesi / Orpheus Mosaic, Hatay Archaeological Museum