Editing Mount Nemrut (section)

==Location and description==
[[File:Nemrut_mountain_and_blue_sky.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Some of the statues near the peak of Mount Nemrut]]
The mountain lies {{convert|40|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} north of [[Kahta]], near [[Adıyaman]]. In 62&nbsp;BC, King [[Antiochus I of Commagene]] built on the mountain top a tomb-sanctuary flanked by huge statues {{convert|8|-|9|m|ft|0|adj=mid| high}} of himself, two lions, two eagles, and various composite [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Zoroastrianism|Iranian]] gods, such as [[Heracles]]-[[Artagnes]]-[[Ares]], [[Zeus]]-[[Oromasdes]], and [[Apollo]]-[[Mithras]]-[[Helios]]-[[Hermes]].{{sfn|Widengren|1986|pp=135–136}}{{sfn|Shayegan|2016|p=13}} When constructing this pantheon, Antiochus drew heavily from [[Parthia]]n and [[Armenians|Armenian]] traditions in order to reinvigorate the religion of his ancestral dynasty.<ref>{{harvnb|Canepa|2020|p= 203}}; “Antiochus looked to contemporary Parthian and, especially, Armenian traditions, to design his pantheon and reinvigorate his ancestral religion.”</ref> The statues were once seated, with names of each god inscribed on them. At some point the heads of the statues were removed from their bodies, and they are now scattered throughout the site.

The pattern of damage to the heads (notably to noses) suggests that they were deliberately damaged as a result of [[iconoclasm]]. The statues have not been restored to their original places. The site also preserves stone slabs with bas-relief figures that are thought to have formed a large [[frieze]]. These slabs, or [[Stele|stelae]], depict [[Antiochus I of Commagene|Antiochus]]' [[Greeks|Greek]] and [[Persian people|Persian]] ancestors.{{sfn|Goell|Bachmann|Sanders|1996|p=3}}{{sfn|Spawforth|Eidinow|Hornblower|2014|p=542}}

The same statues and ancestors found throughout the site can also be found on the [[tumulus]] at the site, which is {{convert|49|m|ft|0}} tall and {{convert|152|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in diameter. It is possible that the tumulus of loose rock was devised to protect a tomb from robbers, since any excavation would quickly fill in.<ref>{{cite book |first=Robert H. |last=Hewsen |title=Armenia: A historical Atlas |year=2001 |page=42}}</ref> The statues appear to have Greek-style faces, but Persian clothing and hair-styling.

[[File:Löwenhoroskop Humann 1883.jpg|thumb|right|The Lion with the Stars]]
The western terrace contains a large slab with a lion, showing an arrangement of stars and the planets [[Jupiter]], [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]], and [[Mars]]. The composition was taken to be a chart of the sky on 7&nbsp;July 62&nbsp;BCE.<ref>{{cite journal |author1-link=Otto Neugebauer |last1=Neugebauer |first1=O. |first2=H.B. |last2=van Hoessen |title=Greek horoscopes |journal=Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society |volume={{sc|xlviii}} |location=Philadelphia |year=1959 |pages=14–16}}<br/>The authors chose that date in preference to 23&nbsp;July 49&nbsp;BCE preferred by other researchers; ''see''<br/>{{cite journal |last1=Belmonte |first1=Juan Antonio |first2=A. César |last2=Gonzales-Garcia |url=http://www.iac.es/proyecto/arqueoastronomia/media/BelmonteGonzalez_JHA2010.pdf |title=Antiochos's hierothesion at Nemrud Dag revisited: Adjusting the date in the light of astronomical evidence |journal=J. Hist. Astronomy |volume=41 |year=2010}}</ref> This may be an indication of when construction began on this monument. The eastern portion is well preserved, being composed of several layers of rock, and a path following the base of the mountain is evidence of a walled passageway linking the eastern and western terraces. Possible uses for this site are thought to have included religious ceremonies, owing to the astronomical and religious nature of the monument.

The arrangement of such statues is known by the term [[hierothesion]]. Similar arrangements have been found at Arsameia on Nymphaios at the hierothesion of Antiochus' father, [[Mithridates I Callinicus]].