THE PALACE COMPLEX

The Monumental Entrance

Excavation of the northern half of the monumental entrance to the Palace Complex (Fig. 10) showed that the wide stone-paved passage was covered by a substantial pitched roof covered with reed thatch. A square sandstone post base with a circular recess to retain a wooden column 1.00m in diameter (Fig. 10e) might have supported the northern side of this roof. The pediment may have been adorned by the pair of bronze ibex, shown on the cover of Kerkenes News 5, perhaps flanking a sacred tree. There appear to have been wooden doors strengthened with long iron bands affixed with big dome-headed nails, while iron brackets strengthened or joined other architectural timbers (Fig. 10f at right).

The lower courses of the North Tower were built of smoothed, tightly fitted, granite blocks while the upper courses comprised large sandstone blocks held together with wooden clamps (Fig. 10f at left). Masonry courses were interspersed with large timber beams (Fig. 10d). Architectural embellishment in the form of sandstone bolster fragments with ends decorated with compass-drawn concentric circles (Fig. 10h), all carved from sandstone, perhaps derive from stone capitals and the top of the tower. Conflagration of the many large timber elements created an inferno that thoroughly cracked the granite, sometimes attaining temperatures sufficient to melt it as well as to vitrify sandstone.

A unique architectural piece (Fig. 10g), apparently an element from a freestanding monument
erected towards the rear of the passage, is ornamented with three-quarter bolsters and bolster ends in relief. Wooden pegs attached it to other elements of the same monument which very probably supported an inscribed and sculpted element from which a number of the pieces described below were recovered. It is likely that when the burning roof collapsed the monument was smashed and dispersed, some fragments escaping the flames whilst others were burnt red or black, a few even vitrifying. The task of joining these bits is made yet more difficult by this sharp contrast in colour. The inscription, which runs around the four margins of a minimum of two adjacent faces, is in Old Phrygian. In some parts the scribe lightly roughed out the letters and then adjusted the spacing as required, as can be seen on the near face on Figure 13. Additional small fragments attest the presence of more than one inscribed piece in the vicinity of this entrance. Small-scale relief sculpture (Figs 11 and 12) includes depictions of figures in human form. One fragment has the naked feet of two individuals toe-to-toe while a fragment from a different panel depicts a clothed figure holding what is perhaps a spear butt. Parts of winged griffins, lions, and rosettes were also recovered. Old Phrygian is not yet fully deciphered, although its affinity to the earliest written Greek has long been apparent. These pieces are being studied by Claude Brixhe. All that need be said before the likely recovery of further fragments in 2004 is that the Kerkenes inscription (or inscriptions), the largest corpus to have been found todate east of the Kýzýlýrmak (Halys River), contains a dedication.

The Stone Pavement

The broad granite pavement (Figs 10a and 10c), a small part of which was first uncovered in 2000, now stretches an impressive 30m. Several setting lines can be identified, which are indicative of working techniques and phases of construction. There are indications that portions of the pavement were probably laid before the construction of the North Tower, while it was already known that Structure B had been built over and partially cut through two successive phases of this paved surface. Some of the paving stones have been worn to a polish. Documenting such differential wear forms part of a wider GIS study of transportation and traffic at Kerkenes.

The Ashlar Building

The southern half of the inner room of the Ashlar Building, reported in Kerkenes News 5 and Anatolia Antiqua XI (2003) pp.111-129, was excavated in its entirety by David Stronach. It can now be understood that this room, which proved to be somewhat longer than anticipated, had a wooden surround. It may be imagined that plush furnishings provided a greater degree of comfort than that afforded by the sandstone surround of the outer room. The room was devoid of fixed internal features, lacking both roof supports and a hearth.