Some monuments concerning the cult of Men from Archaeology museums of Eskişehir, Afyon, Kütahya and Pamukkale

ABSTRACTSOME MONUMENTS CONCERNING THE CULT OF MEN FROMA R C H A E O L O G Y M U S E U M S O F E S K İŞ E H İR , A F Y O N , K Ü T A H Y A A N DPAMUKKALEB anu B Ü Y Ü K G Ü NDepartment of ArchaeologyAnadolu University Institute of Social Sciences, June 2006Advisor: D o ç. D r. T aciser S İV A SMen is a lunar divinity whose worship was wide-spread in antic world, from Syria toItalia, but widely worshipped in Asia Minor in the Roman period. We study on somem o nu m ents co ncerning the cu lt o f M en fro m archaeo lo g y m useu m s o f E sk işehir,A fyo n, K ütahya and Pamukkale. These monuments include altar, steles, votive plates,statue and statuettes; and they provide the knowledge about the cult of Men in Phrygia.However we have to deal the cult of Men, therefore we explain iconography, epithets,associations with other divinities of the god, origin of the god and distribution of thecult.As a result of these subjects, Men is almost invariably portrayed in Phrygian cap,chiton/tunica, hymation, trousers and boots, and with a crescent moon at his shoulders.He has various epithets and associated with many divinities. His cult spread Asia Minor,Aegean Islands, Hellas, Dakia, Italia and Syria. The evidence for Men is largelyepigraphical and numismatic, supplemented by statue/statuettes in stone, bronze orterracotta, gems, and occasional other representations in art.Pisidian Antioch is the known principal center of the cult. Other area of largelyworshipped of the god is Maeonian area in Lydia. Printed materials and ours appearPhrygia is an important area for the cult, too. Men especially represented as a rider godin this area.