Mount Nemrud: The Throne of the Gods (2001)

Mount Nemrud is an outstanding documentary film about an ancient monument built on top of a mountain called Nemrud Dag (sometimes spelled Nemrut Dagi) located in the eastern part of Turkey. The top of the mountain is 2,150 m (ca. 7,050 feet) above sea level. It is covered in snow in the winter season (November-April), and only accessible in the summer season (May-October).

The documentary is written, produced and directed by the Turkish filmmaker Tolga Ornek (born 1972); narrated in English by the American actor Joseph Campanella (born 1924); produced by Ekip Film in 2001; and released on DVD by Cinema Epoch in 2004. It is in colour, and the running time is 52 minutes.

The ancient monument is presented in three stages:

SECTION 1 explains how the monument was discovered and investigated in modern times:

** It was discovered by the German engineer Karl Sester in 1881.

** An expedition led by German archaeologists Otto Puchstein and Karl Humann took place in 1882-1883. Their results were published in German in 1890.

** An expedition led by Turkish (Ottoman) archaeologists Hamdi Bey and Osgan Effendi took place in 1883. Their results were published in French in 1883.

** Further investigations led by American archaeologist Theresa Goell took place 1953-1973. An article in the National Geographic Magazine of March 1961 gives an early report. The complete report was published in two volumes in 1996.

Queen of the Mountain is a documentary film about Theresa Goell and her field work in Turkey; produced by Martha Goell Lobell and released by Women Make Movies in 2005.

SECTION 2 describes the monument and the king who built it: Antiochus I of Commagene. The monument is known as a hierothesion, i.e. a monumental royal tomb.

One terrace faces east; another terrace faces west. Between them there is a tumulus, i.e. an artificial mound, ca. 50 m high and with a diameter of ca. 150 m. The layout of the two terraces is almost the same: a high platform with nine huge statues and a low platform with seven reliefs.

The statues (which were 8-10 m high) portray the following from left to right: 1. Lion A; 2. Eagle A; 3. Apollo-Mithras-Helios; 4. Commagene deified as Tyche or Fortuna; 5. Zeus Oromasdes; 6. King Antiochus himself; 7. Artagne-Heracles-Ares; 8. Eagle B; 9. Lion B.

The reliefs portray the following from left to right: a lion and an eagle; the king shakes hands with a god (this scene, known as dexiosis, appears four times); a huge lion decorated with the star signs; an eagle and a lion.

The monument has been damaged by the harsh climate (cold winters and hot summers). Perhaps it was vandalised in antiquity. When discovered the statues had lost their heads; they were lying on the ground. Some statues were in a sad condition, but other parts of the monument were well preserved. On each terrace there is a long inscription in ancient Greek which explains the purpose of the monument.

King Antiochus I ruled Commagene for more than thirty years in the first century BC, from 70 or 69 to 38 or 36 BC. He says that his paternal ancestors were Persians and his maternal ancestors were Greeks and Macedonians.

Modern scholars believe the lion with the star signs gives a horoscope for the date 7 July 62 or 61 BC, but the meaning of this date is uncertain. It could mark the date when the work on the monument was begun (62); or the date when Antiochus was recognised as an independent king by the Roman politician Pompey (61).

SECTION 3 places the king, his monument and his kingdom in a historical context. Commagene was an independent kingdom from 163 BC to AD 72, when it was annexed by the Roman Emperor Vespasian.

The kingdom was located between two powerful neighbours: Persia (the Parthian Empire) in the east and the Roman Empire in the West. It was located on the western bank of the River Euphrates, which meant that the king could profit from the trade conducted on this river.

WITNESSES

From time to time the narration is interrupted by a modern witness, who provides additional information about the monument, the king or the history of the region. Seven experts appear:

** Donald H. Sanders, an American archaeologist

** Nezih Basgela, a Turkish archaeologist

** Sencer Sahin, a Turkish epigrapher, University of Akdeniz

** Hans-Gert Bachmann, a German geologist, who worked with Theresa Goell

**Jorg Wagner, a German archaeologist and historian

** Andrew Gregory, an American historian, Yale University

** Margherita Facella, an Italian historian, University of Pisa

[The two Turkish witnesses speak Turkish, but their statements are dubbed into English.]

[The complete report of the American investigation was published in two volumes in 1996 edited by Goell, Bachmann & Sanders: Nemrud vol. 1 and Nemrud vol. 2.]

The camerawork by Ferhan Akgun, director of photography, is very good. Most scenes are shot on the ground, but several scenes are taken from the air, which helps us understand the layout of the monument. Some scenes are reconstructed, for instance the German expedition in 1882-1883. Sometimes 3D animation is used to show us how (the experts think) the monument appeared in antiquity.

Additional information about the ancient monument is available in the following books: Splendors of Ancient Persia by Henri Stierlin (pp. 176-189) and Hidden Treasures of Antiquity edited by Alberto Siliotti (pp. 216-223).

The ancient monument is fast becoming a big attraction for tourists travelling in the eastern part of Turkey.

Practical information about the site and how to get there is available in the following books: James Bainbridge, Lonely Planet Turkey (2011) pp. 583-588 and Diana Darke, Eastern Turkey (Bradt Travel Guides) (2011) pp. 215-222.

Mount Nemrud is an excellent documentary. I am impressed to see how much information this movie provides in less than 1 hour and how well the material is organised. It is highly recommended.

* * *

PS. Tolga Ornek is the director of several documentaries, including The Hittites (2004) and Gallipoli (2005).

* * *

Mount Nemrud: The Throne of the Gods,
Released on DVD in 2004
Run time ca. 52 minutes

* * *