A Hellenistic Tomb From The Pontic Region: The İkiztepe Tumulus

İkiztepe, an important archaeological site near Bafra in Samsun, provides evidence of an unbroken sequence of habitation spanning from the Early Bronze Age to the Middle Bronze Age. Excavations that began in the 1970s revealed that the region was part of the Pontic cultural sphere. The İkiztepe tumulus, unearthed during the 1975–1976 excavations, consists of an east–west oriented structure with a dromos and two barrel-vaulted burial chambers. Constructed of cut limestone blocks, the architecture of the tumulus reflects the funerary traditions of the Hellenistic period. Ceramic fragments and a gold stater bearing the name of Lysimachus, discovered within the burial chamber, date the monument to the 3rd century BCE. In terms of layout and construction technique, the İkiztepe tumulus shows similarities to the Kavak-Tepecik, Baruthane, and Lerdüge tumuli in and around Samsun. These architectural characteristics demonstrate that during the Hellenistic period, Pontos was in cultural interaction with the regions of Paphlagonia and Macedonia. The arrangement of the dromos, antechamber, and barrel-vaulted main chamber reflects the influence of Macedonian tomb architecture, while the construction of the monument on a high hill also incorporates symbolic elements of the Thracian tumulus tradition.