Ancient Steles Moved from Kimil Mountain to Perre Ancient City

2,100-year-old steles, transported by military helicopter from Kımıl Dağı and shedding light on history, are being restored and conserved in Perre Ancient City for tourism. In 2021, a sacred area similar to Nemrut Mountain belonging to the Commagene civilization and two steles, one of which is divided in two, were found on Kımıl Dağı in Gerger district of Adıyaman at an altitude of 1,650 meters. The 3.5-ton stele measuring 1.3×1.76 meters depicting the handshake scene between Apollo Mitras and King Antiochos, along with inscriptions on both sides, and the other stele measuring 1.16×1.76 meters with a weight of 2 tons 200 kilograms, both brought to Perre Ancient City in September 2023.

Restoration and Conservation Works

Margherita Facella from Pisa University and Charles Crowther from Oxford University, with permission from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, conducted research on the inscriptions on the steles. It is known that the laws and will of King Antiochos are included in the inscription. Ayşe Ebru Çorbacı, the Director of Gaziantep Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory, and her team, attached a pin and joined the stele, which was divided into two and had the scene of Apollo Mitras and King Antiochos handshake on it, with special adhesives. Aesthetic filling is started with a hydraulic lime binder mortar to deep and capillary cracks. This aesthetic filling aims to prevent rainwater from entering inside the steles and to ensure their good visibility.

• After the total of 4 days of work, the steles placed on pedestals in the northeast of the necropolis area of Perre Ancient City will be open to visit by local and foreign tourists during the Museums Week.
• Adıyaman Museum Director Mehmet Alkan, providing information about the process of moving the steles, said, “On October 10, 2021, we identified these two steles in Kımıl Dağı, Gerger district of Adıyaman. After identifying these two steles, we proposed to the Şanlıurfa Cultural Heritage Protection Regional Board for the registration of the sacred area where the steles were found as a protected area, and it was registered. Then, on September 26, 2023, we took these artifacts from Gerger to Adıyaman with a military helicopter. Here, after the first stage of restoration and conservation works carried out today, we erected them in Perre Ancient City and placed them on pedestals. After the aesthetic filling is completed, we will present the artifacts to the liking of tourists.”