A comparative analysis of small finds from the sanctuaries of Kybele in Western Asia minor

This thesis examines the small finds recovered from the sanctuaries of Cybele in Western Anatolia and compares the changes the goddess underwent between the Archaic Period and the Roman Period in the nine ancient cities and the artifacts produced by the cities for the cult by interacting with each other. In the first chapter, the belief system that enabled the existence of the Mother Goddess in Anatolia, the development and diffusion process from her birthplace to the Roman Civilization, the changing iconography over the centuries and the ceremonies performed in the name of the goddess are explained. In the second part, the worship of the goddess Cybele in the Western Anatolian cities of Ephesos, Erythrai, Klazomenai, Kolophon, Metropolis, Pergamon, Phokaia, Priene and Smyrna and their sanctuaries are discussed. In the third section, the small finds from the sanctuaries are analyzed chronologically and iconographically, and the finds from different cities are compared. Current written sources, archaeological and epigraphic finds were utilized for the information provided.