The 2,100-year-old steles, transported via military helicopter from Mount Kımıl in the eastern province of Adıyaman, will be exhibited at the ancient City of Perre following extensive restoration and conservation efforts.
A cultic (sacred) site resembling the one found in the city’s Mount Nemrut was discovered on Kımıl Mountain in Adıyaman’s Gerger district. Two steles, one fragmented, were unearthed.
One stele, weighing 3.5 tons and divided into two pieces, portrays a scene of Apollo Mithras and King Antiochus engaging in a handshake exchange, while the other 2.2-ton stele features inscriptions on both sides. These artifacts were transferred to the ancient city of Perre in September 2023.
Margherita Facella from the University of Pisa and Charles Crowther from Oxford University examined the inscriptions on the steles with permission from Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. These inscriptions are believed to contain the laws and testament of King Antiochus.
The fragmented stele underwent restoration using pins and specialized adhesives. An aesthetic filling was also applied to prevent rainwater infiltration and enhance visibility. After four days of restoration work, the steles were positioned on pedestals within the northeastern sector of the ancient city’s necropolis area, scheduled for unveiling to visitors during Museums Week.
Mehmet Alkan, Director of the Adıyaman Museum, disclosed, “On October 10, 2021, our team identified these two steles within the vicinity of Kımıl Mountain. We proposed to the Şanlıurfa Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board that the cultic site, where the steles were situated, be designated as a protected area, and it was duly registered as such. Subsequently, on September 26, 2023, utilizing a military helicopter, we transported these artifacts from Gerger to Adıyaman. Following the initial phase of restoration and conservation efforts, we positioned them on pedestals in Perre for public viewing, catering to tourists.”
