Votive steles from Ionia, Karia and Lydia regions

In this study, one hundred and fifty-seven votive stelae that were brought to the Izmir Archeology Museum, Ephesus Museum, Ödemiş Museum, Aydın Archeology Museum and Aphrodisias Museum through purchase, donation and gift were discussed. Since the Izmir Archeology Museum and the Ephesus Museum present a large number of examples among the museums, most of the findings must have been unearthed from the cities affiliated with these museums. In this regard, the Ionia Region was associated with the Izmir Archeology and Ephesus Museums, the Caria Region with the Aydın and Aphrodisias Museums, and the Lydia Region with the Ödemiş Museum, and a small number of works were distributed to regions outside the borders of the museum. Thus, more decisive features regarding regional typology and style are presented in the examination of the stelae. In order to present a detailed study of the votive stelae from the examined Ionia, Caria and Lydia Regions, a general background was created about the typology and chronology of the votive stela tradition in the Aegean geography by scanning the previously published literature on votive stelae from the cities of Western Anatolia, the Aegean Islands and Continental Greece. The lack of a detailed study covering three important regions on Anatolia's votive-belief system, especially under the leadership of the artifacts, and the lack of recognition of the votive steles caused our studies to focus on these issues. In this context, in the Ionia, Caria and Lydia Regions, many gods and goddesses such as Zeus, Asklepios, Horse Gods, Athena and Apollo, especially the Matar/Meter/Kybele cult of Anatolian and Mesopotamian origin, were considered sacred for all three regions, and the cults were more in Anatolian culture than in Hellenic culture. It has been understood that it has an intense relationship with its origins and has unique examples of figure typology. Therefore, all cults are discussed from a typological, chronological and stylistic perspective, starting from the formation of the votive stele phenomenon. In addition, comparisons were made with the votive traditions of the centers of Attica, Ionia, Lydia and Phrygia, which played an active role in the formation of the Western Anatolian votive stela tradition, and the local and interactive style in the belief system of the three examined regions was tried to be conveyed. As a result of the examination of the votive stelae, it was determined that the works have a wide chronology from the mid-6th century BC to the end of the 3rd century AD. In this regard, it has been understood that Ephesos and Miletos were typologically influential throughout the entire process, and the stylistic influence of Ephesus continued for a long time. The Ionia Region style, which was dominant in the Archaic Period and the early Roman Imperial Period, was replaced by Lydia and Phrygia with the Roman Imperial Period. It has been determined that they left it in their regions.