Aslankaya Anıtı

The Aslankaya Monument is a Phrygian rock monument rising on the shore of Lake Emre in Döğer, a small town in the İhsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar. The Turkish Wikipedia states that the monument lies about 4 kilometres from Döğer, while Afyonkarahisar Municipality places it near the village of Üçlerkayası. It was made by dressing one face of a high, steep rock mass vertically and carving onto it a temple facade with a triangular gable. The Culture Portal and Wikipedia describe the facade on the south face of the rock; some travel sources, however, write that the monument faces east. Scholars date the monument to the 7th century BC. The rock into which the monument is carved consists of volcanic tuff and, according to Wikipedia, extends for about 1 kilometre. Because the middle layer of the rock is heavily eroded, large pieces break away, and in some parts the layering is clearly visible. Both side faces of the monument have also been cut vertically. According to the Culture Portal, a large roaring lion rearing on its hind legs was carved in relief on the north side of the rock. The head of this lion is badly worn today. On the opposite side there is a much smaller four-legged animal, and researchers debate whether it is a lion, a griffin or a sphinx. On either side of the triangular pediment two sphinxes, winged lions with human heads, face each other. The main facade is covered with geometric reliefs that recall the great Phrygian monuments at Yazılıkaya. In the niche at the centre of the facade the Phrygian Mother Goddess Kybele is known to have been depicted standing between two lions. This goddess, whom the Phrygians called Matar, is usually recognised in Anatolian archaeology by the lions at her sides. Afyonkarahisar Municipality writes that the relief in the niche has not survived; the inside of the niche and the lower part of the monument have been badly damaged. On both sides of the niche, carvings imitating a wooden door catch the eye. The monument was introduced to the scholarly world in 1884 by the researcher W. M. Ramsay. According to the Frig Vadileri website, at the time of discovery Old Phrygian inscriptions written from left to right could be seen on the main beam. These later worn inscriptions are reported to have been made readable again through photographs taken with a special technique just after sunrise. Another feature that sets Aslankaya apart among Phrygian monuments is its setting; it does not stand inside a rocky valley but rises on open level ground. Its position in the middle of many surrounding settlements supports the interpretation that there was a ceremonial area here. Its place at the centre of the other monuments of the region also draws the attention of researchers. When you visit, first stand a little way off and take in the whole rock mass and the proportions of the facade. Then come closer and study in turn the sphinxes on the pediment, the geometric patterns on the facade and the door carvings beside the niche. Walk around the rock and be sure to look for the large lion relief on the side face; this figure is the source of the monument's name, which means Lion Rock. In the morning and evening, when the sun is low, the raking light helps you make out the worn carvings more clearly. Do not touch the reliefs or climb the rock, because the tuff crumbles easily. Aslankaya can be seen right beside the road from İhsaniye to Döğer, on the stretch that runs from Üçlerkayası to Lake Emre. The Governorship of Afyonkarahisar presents Lake Emre as one of the stops on the migration route of flamingos. After seeing the monument you can go down to the lakeshore and then continue to the Döğer Caravanserai a few kilometres away. The Phrygian Way hiking trail, which runs from Afyonkarahisar to Yazılıkaya in Eskişehir, also passes through Döğer. For current information on visits and possible conservation work, contact the Afyonkarahisar Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism.