Mezgitkale Monument (Architecture and socio-cultural analysis)

The Mezgitkale Monument, located 13 km northeast of the modern settlement of Susanoglu and about 2 km from the ancient settlements of Pasli and Takkadın in the Rough Cilicia Region, is one of the best-preserved magnificent structures of its period. This monument has never been analysed in isolation within the researches conducted in the region until today. With this study, the monument has been analysed in detail for the first time. The study of this monument in the Cilicia region, which interacted with different cultures under both eastern and western influences, has been a study to determine the depth and breadth of intercultural interaction. The architectural, plastic and religious elements of the monument show how strong this interaction was. In this study, an answer to the question of whether the structure is a tomb or a temple is sought by emphasising its similarities to the temples seen both in the Levant and in the Western world. From this point of view, many publications on the archaeological development of various structures contemporary with the Mezgitkale monument were examined and evaluations were made on the monument based on similar structures. In order to explain the same problematic, the comparison material of the study consists of all the examples found so far in Eastern Rough Cilicia, dated to the Roman Period and similar to the Mezgitkale monument. With the new technological possibilities used in the research, many details on the building were determined and important archaeological results were reached with these determinations made for the first time. As a result of these findings, it was seen that the previous determinations of the reliefs on the north pediment were not accurate. The interpretation of the symbols, the architectural form chosen for the building and the analysis of the monumental columns revealed that the building was built under the strong influence of Roman culture. In fact, the existence of the Mars cult, which was not encountered in the region before, and which was very strong in Rome, has been revealed for the first time. The building was analysed not only on its own, but also in relation to the large farm settlement in which it is located and other similar settlements in the region. Based on the relationship between the large farm structure and the monument, it was suggested that there must have been Veterans here. The analysis of an inscription found in the vicinity of the monument allowed the similar situations with other settlements in the vicinity to be discussed and new suggestions to be put forward.