In keeping with tradition, I wanted to visit a cemetery in Antalya. A previous post showcased the old Ottoman cemetery that I found in Kaleici, but I wanted to see what a current day site was like. I was in luck; I found the Islamic cemetery in Antalya that was close to my apartment too.
Marble
The use of light-coloured marble for headstones and tombs is the material predominantly used here. I would guess about 95% of the graves if not more, were of marble.
These usually had a headstone at the top, and unusually, it was etched on both sides. At the footer is commonly a marble vase and sometimes what looks like a small stool.
Most of the graves had a hollow surface, where a flower bed or plants were growing right in the structure. This had unfortunate circumstances if trees were chosen, as the older ones now had massive trees growing right in the centre of the cracked and broken grave.
Trees
I could liken this cemetery to a forest. The trees were so thick and the canopy so dense, sunlight was rarely on the ground. It created a beautiful mystical feel inside the site. Sun rays and shadows danced through the grounds and as I walked around, I felt myself losing the sense of time and place.
Stonehenge
Ok not literally of course, but the first time I glimpsed these enormous and tall old headstones, the word ‘Stonehenge’ came into my brain. How excited was I to find these super old graves, scattered throughout a large portion of the cemetery!
They are far from the paths, you have to walk into the graves to find them, but wow, are they every cool! The ones still standing were taller than myself and only a few had the inscriptions remaining on one side.
What was fascinating was most if not all, had a round protrusion about ¼ the way down from the top.
I found some that were buried so deeply, that this round protrusion was almost at ground level.
I am so very glad I took the time to seek out this cemetery and pay it a visit. While the more current headstones and tombs were fascinating in their design and decorative elements, the old ones were the highlight. I have never seen anything like these, and don’t expect too again.
