Five giant seated limestone statues, identified by their inscriptions as deities, face outwards from the tumulus on the upper level of the terrace. They were eight or nine meters in height (the fallen heads included). They have been identified as (from left to right) Apollo-Mithra-Helios-Hermes, the goddess Commagene-Tyche, Zeus-Oromasdes, king Antiochos I and Heracles-Artagnes-Ares. The multiple names of the gods indicate their syncretic Greek-Persian nature. The gods are flanked by a pair of guardian animal statues – a lion and eagle – at each end. All the heads of the statues have fallen off to the lower level.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: File 448: ‘Nemrut Dağı’ – World Heritage List, Unesco (see: whc.unesco.org) .
& Personal visits (1983, 1987, 1994).