Phrygian-Influenced Rock-Cut Tombs of Hoyran and Sağır in Northeastern Pisidia

Abstract

The Pisidia region has historically served as a crossroads of cultures and routes, making the presence of diverse tomb types shaped by various cultural influences unsurprising. The subject of this study –the Hoyran rock-cut tomb with a triangular pediment and the Sağır rock-cut tombs– are located in the northeastern part of Pisidia, near the political boundary of Phrygia. The Hoyran rock-cut tomb with a triangular pediment is the sole example of monumental rock-cut tombs in the region that features reliefs imitating wooden architecture. Situated on a cliff face overlooking the lake, the façade of this monumental tomb is accompanied by four additional rock-cut tombs in the surrounding area. These smaller-scale tombs, characterized by their plain façades, are dateable to the Roman period. Thus, the area evolved into a necropolis composed of rock-cut tombs that transcend chronological boundaries. The Hoyran tomb, dated to the early Iron Age and exhibiting Phrygian influence, underwent a transformation during the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) period into a rock-cut chapel and continued to function as a church until recent times. The two rock-cut tombs located in the village of Sağır, northeast of the Hoyran necropolis, also reflect the influence of the Phrygian rock-cut tomb tradition. These tombs, notable for their architectural features, have damaged façades; however, the burial chambers preserve reliefs that imitate wooden architecture, linking them culturally and stylistically to the Hoyran rock-cut tomb with a triangular pediment.