It is the oldest known monumental tomb built in the form of a Greek temple and inspired later monumental structures such as the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The monument was first discovered by Fellows in 1938. It was probably destroyed by an earthquake and all its pieces were found scattered around. With the efforts of Fellows, all the relief pieces of the monument were transported to England by ship along with other monuments and are currently exhibited in the British Museum. Although the exact date of the monument is unknown, researchers generally date it between 390-380 BC. The name Erbinna (Arbinas) is more commonly accepted as the owner of the tomb, with the assumption that it was built for one of the rulers of Xanthos during the dynasty. The monument looks like an Ionic temple built on an 4-meter podium with a height of 8 meters. The upper area of ​​the podium measures 10,2 x 6,8 m. The cella on the podium is surrounded by four Ionic columns on the short sides and six Ionic columns on the long sides. It is made entirely of white marble on the limestone used in the foundation and inner body of the podium. In addition to the two rows of friezes surrounding the podium, there are two more rows of friezes surrounding the eaves of the Ionic temple and the cella wall. The triangular roof pediments on the east and west sides of the monument are also decorated with friezes. Researchers have different opinions on the order of these friezes in the reconstruction of the monument. The reconstructed part exhibited in the British Museum is only the east side of the mausoleum. The monument is called by this name because the female statues between the Ionic columns and the sea creatures under their feet are likened to the Nereids, sea nymphs in Greek mythology. On the other hand, Thurstan Robinson points out that these statues could be the wives (Eliyãna) of the goddess Leto mentioned in the Trilingual Inscription found in Letoon. The examinations show that there are four klinai on the monument. Therefore, the monument may have been used for its owner and his family.1

  1. Lycian Monuments, Nereid Monument ↩︎
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