Mount Nemrut Sunrise Tour: In God’s kingdom when the Sun is young
There is nothing to see outside. It is 3AM here in Anatolian Turkey and I am in a car. It rolls on the streets of Adiyaman. A few minutes later, I am going to hike in the dark, to catch the sunrise from the zenith of Mount Nemrut — a UNESCO World Heritage Site from 1987 where ancient statues await my arrival. I have read it in so many blogs, “If you are visiting Mount Nemrut, sunrise is the time to go.”
It is not the Egyptians, Greeks or Romans who built these series of statues but the obscure Commagenes— a tiny kingdom in around 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE bordered by Parthia, Armenia and the Romans. Although tiny, the kingdom enjoyed a surplus of wealth owing to the transit taxes that it collected at the Euphrates river crossing—gatekeepers of east-west trade relations. Antiochus I Theos, a Commagene king, used this wealth in establishing statutes of Gods in 62 BCE, on the highest peak of his kingdom at 2134 metres above the sea level.
The dawn hike
It is June in Turkey. The weather has been pleasant throughout my trip. Warm during the day, cool at night and occasional splashes of rain in the afternoon. I brought two jackets specifically for the Nemrut leg of the trip. I have heard, even though its summer, Nemrut gets chilly as hikers gain altitude. The hiking trail remains closed in the winter months due to excessive snow and biting cold.
After a quick coffee break in the crisp night, my car enters the parking lot of Nemrut National Park. From here, I need to take the park’s vehicle designated for tourists. It would drop me to the start of the hiking trail. As I alight from my vehicle and wait for the park’s car to pick me up, a shiver runs through my body. Cold winds slap and pierce my bare skin. I cocoon myself into the jackets and look up. Constellations reveal themselves in the inky canvas of the sky. The street lights twinkle in the valley below as if playing mirror to the sky.
Patience is the first virtue while on a hike. Thankfully, on this day, I have ample stores of it. The stone cut steps mark the trail to Mount Nemrut. Other trekkers on the trail cut the veil of silence. Almost everyone overtakes me one by one. I carry on unfazed. My knees protest in pain, but I cannot give up. Occasionally, I take a water break. Beads of sweat erupt on my forehead. I take off my jackets. The cold wind suddenly seems not cold enough.
Huffing and puffing, as I penetrate deep into the sanctuary of history, the craggy contours of the mountain ranges surrounding me become visible. Grassy meadows tumbling from the Taurus Mountain Range illusively unites with those of the opposite range— the Anti-Taurus Mountains. I am deeply comforted by the fact that only herbivorous animals like deer frequent this region — unlike the Himalayas, I do not need to worry about a chance encounter with a tiger or leopard here.
I pull myself up the last stretch of the trail—the steepest part. With my head down, hands on my waist, nose inflated, mouth open, hair askew, I arrive at the peak of Mount Nemrut to come face to face with the megalomania of Antiochus I Theos, a man who lived more than 2000 years before me.
Eastern Corridor of Mount Nemrut: Sunrise ready
The heads of five statues stare eastward, as if waiting for the sun to rise. Behind it, lie their beheaded trunks, a collection of limestone slabs perched on top of each other in a humanlike shape, sitting on a podium. Beyond the dais, a conical mound of pebbles, 50 metres high is rumored to be the tumulus beneath which Antiochus I Theos rests.
The locals were always aware of the existence of the site. However, international attention was brought in 1881 by Karl Sester, a German engineer working for the Ottomans. For decades, historians have worked ceaselessly to discover the original grave of king Antiochus I Theos under this tumulus. Archeologist Theresa Goell dedicated her life to uncover the burial site. Her endeavors started in 1953 and went on for decades. Though she failed to find the burial chamber, she successfully set an example for all females in this male-centric profession.
The original statues were 9 metres high. It is not known with certainty what caused the head and torso to be separated. While natural calamities could have caused it, the other reason put forward by historians is human destruction. Given Anatolia was a hotbed of civilizations, religions and wars, to me, the second theory seems more plausible.
The statues of the Gods reflect a classic mix of east and west. Antiochus I Theos had Persian(east), Armenian(east) and Greek(west) origins. In his lifetime, he had tried to develop a unique cult or religion for Commagene kingdom by blending in elements of these three civilizations. The Gods on Mount Nemrut represent the same, the blend apparent by their visual features and names. The five statues from left to right are Heracles-Artagnes, Apollo-Mithras, Zeus-Orosmasdes, Commagene-Tyche and finally Antiochus himself. The names themselves prove the Hellenistic and Zoroastrian influence. It is very interesting how Antiochus tried to blend in a polytheistic religion (Hellenism) with a dualist one (Zoroastrianism).
The sky is no more dark now, but Prussian blue. Overhead, a full moon shines showering its soft light on Nemrut’s tumulus and the statues. It feels otherworldly. A faint red haze streaks the horizon on the east. I wait patiently for the Sun to come up, eyes glued to the skyline.
A peculiar event unfolds in nature. A bird suddenly halts its flight mid-air, fluttering its wings vehemently, as if waiting for the sunrise, just like us. Another bird follows suit. Under the glowing red sky, from the sheath of bluish clouds a tangerine sun pops up, making the outlines of the Anti-Taurus mountain range more vivid.
Western Corridor of Mount Nemrut
The tumulus and the statues being painted by the soft red hues of the young Sun is a remarkable sight. As the Sun slides up in the Sky, my guide, Sehzat, takes me for a round-trip tour of the summit! We tread on a wafer thin path around the tumulus and reach the western corridor of Mount Nemrut. Being a mirror image of the eastern corridor, there are the same five figures of the Gods and Godesses of the religion founded by Antiochus I Theos arranged in the same order. The statues here, face the setting Sun. The tourists who visit Mount Nemrut during Sunset find more joy in the western corridor. Since Mount Nemrut is windy all the time, even an afternoon hike can be pleasant.
Apart from the divine statues, there are also statues of eagles and lions, probably the guarding angels of the deities. Also, there are several stone tablets here with figures drawn on them. The depiction of a ‘lion horoscope’ on one such stone panel found here is said to represent a constellation that would not be seen for the forthcoming 25000 years!
The western side of the tumulus is still cold and windy. Like the thread of a kite kept carelessly on the floor, a thin trail runs haphazardly on the mounds and goes downhill, to the bottom of the mountain. However, I do not take this trail. I start my journey downhill, the same way I came up.
Walking down is a breeze. With my surroundings now lit up, the natural beauty is visible and encouraging enough for me. The cool breeze brushing past my hair, the warmth of the Sun, the seclusion of the hills and the ancient air—a trip to Mount Nemrut is worth every bit of effort.
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Have you been to the Nemrut Mountains during sunrise or sunset? Do you want to go? Did you find the history of Nemrut and Commagene fascinating?
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Disclaimer: Tania was hosted by Turkey Tourism Board. All thoughts and opinions expressed in the post are of her own.
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Tania Banerjee
Tania is a freelance writer based in India who tinkers with words here and there but mostly focused on travel, food, arts and crafts. She writes for several Indian dailies and magazines.
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