The road extending east from Lefke Gate has a city cemetery to the north and a water canal to the south. The narrow road passes through vineyards and gardens and leads to the tomb of Abdulvahap Sancaktarı. On the first slope of Elmalı Mountain, where the road extends, there are 17 pieces of a dark gray limestone tomb chamber known among the public as “Berber Kaya” spread out around and on the slope. It is known that this region was used as a necropolis during the Bithynian, Roman and Byzantine periods and that the sarcophagus of C. Cassius Chrestus, who had the city gates built, was found in this region. It was carved from a single rock mass. It is the only work belonging to the Hellenistic period in İznik. It is known that this monumental tomb, called “Berber Kaya” by the locals, was built for the Bithynian king Prusias II (185-149 BC), who was captured and killed in Nikaia, where he took refuge to escape from his son. It was determined that the front part of the monumental tomb chamber was not here, and that the rear part, which had stood for many years, was broken into pieces with dynamite by treasure enthusiasts in 1953, and a part of it was later covered with soil. It is understood that the rear wall of the tomb chamber is 4,38 m wide, 3,90 m high, and approximately 5 m long. European travelers who came to this region in the 14th and 6th centuries saw this monumental tomb and showed it in the foreground in their writings and pictures. R. Pococke had the chance to see the entirety of this tomb chamber in the 12th century and gave its measurements as 10 feet XNUMX inches long and XNUMX feet XNUMX inches wide.

There are plasters at the corners of the tomb chamber, which was carved from a single block in a house style. The base and capitals are specified. There are triangular pediments on its two narrow facades and shield motifs inside them, processed in round relief. Its roof is in the shape of a Pampylia type sarcophagus. Quadrangles are seen on it. A row of wolf teeth motifs extends inside the pediment and under the eaves. Greek and Hebrew inscriptions and crosses carved by visitors are noteworthy on the pieces belonging to the tomb chamber. It is understood from the iron connection sockets that have survived to the present day that there were graves with slightly raised edges, 0,60 m wide and 0 m deep, along the back and side walls of the tomb chamber, and that there were lids on them. Legends have also been told about the ruins, which are called "Barber Rock" among the public because of their sets resembling the seating arrangements in barber shops in the past.

Bursa.com.tr – Iznik Berber Rock Monumental Tomb

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