The Tomb of Satrap Hekatomnos is accepted as one of the greatest discoverıes of the century in the world of archeology. The construction of this magnificent Mausoleum began in the first quarter of the 4th century BC. It was built at a point dominating the ancient city of Mylasa.
Maussollos started the Mausoleum after his father’s death, HEKATOMNOS, who named the Dynasty. However, the tomb was not completed due to the decision of Maussollos to move the capital from Mylasa to Halicarnassus.
The Mausoleum shows significant similarities with the future Maussolleion of Halicarnassus, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Hekatomnos Monumental Tomb, which is almost the forerunner of the Mausoleum, is also on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
The “Hekatomnos Sarcophagus” is an excellent example in Classical and Hellenistic Anatolia with its size, quality, and the famous personality of its owner.
The monumental tomb draws attention with the stunning artistry in the reliefs and the skill in the wall paintings.
The large sarcophagus in the burial chamber is 2.90 x 2.28 m. in size and 1.54 m. in height. It has a pedimented cover decorated with figurines on the top and corners. The HEKATOMNOS sarcophagus was built by his eldest son, Maussollos, who succeeded Hekatomnos after his death.
The reliefs on the front side of the sarcophagus show a “Banquet Scene” in which Hekatomnos is lying on the sofa in the middle of the scene. He is with his wife Aba and their children, Maussollos and Artemisia, in front of them. The figures standing on the right and left of the family are courtiers and servants.
The scene on the other side of the sarcophagus depicts “Lion Hunt.” Mausollos, on a horse, puts the last hit on a lion with the spear he is holding. Behind Maussollos are Persian-dressed figures with dogs, and in front of him are his hunting companions.
On the first short right side of the sarcophagus is the scene “Mourning for Hekatomnus.” Maussollos, lying on the sofa with a sad expression, and his wife Artemisia with his hand stretched out to him and his sons in front of them. The figures standing on the right and left of the family are the courtiers and servants at the service of Mausolus and Artemisia.
On the second short side of the sarcophagus is a scene recognized as “Change of Mission,” where Hekatomnos sits with one hand raised, and the female figure standing before him is His wife, Aba. The two figures sitting opposite Hekatomnus are his son Maussollos and his wife, Artemisia. Maussollos inherits the satrapy from his father, Hekatomnus.
Two separate areas in the tomb chamber were chosen for the wall paintings, representing the peak of their period in terms of technique and art.
Two different subjects are depicted in wall paintings. On the west frieze: Kentauromachie, The battle of Lapits and Centaurs, in which hero Theseus also participated; in the east frieze, which continues in the south and north directions, this time, the struggle between the Greeks and the Amazons, including Achilleus.
At the eastern end of the podium is a monumental column dedicated to Menandros and decorated in the Corinthian style. There was probably a statue of Menandros at the top of the column. According to the engravings of 17th-century travelers, the column also has an inscription. “People erected statue of Menandros, benevolent son of Uliades and descendant of Euthydemus,” it reads. The Menandros column can be dated to the Augustan period due to its style and inscription.
Another reason for the monumental tomb’s impressive appearance is that the remains were built on a big terrace.
The height of these walls, which are extremely impressive and reflect the magnificence of the Mausoleum, is 8.5 meters.
The Doric Monumental Entrance (propylon) with a triangular pediment providing access to the Sanctuary was designed on the southern wall (temenos), closer to the western corner. Only 11 steps of the monumental entrance were unearthed.