A Sarcophagus with Hyposorion from the Ancient City of Tlos

During the 2006 excavation season, a relief-decorated sarcophagus -offering significant insight into both the Classical Period plastic arts of the ancient city of Tlos and the Lycian region- was discovered during vegetation clearance conducted along the continuation of the eastern fortification walls of the acropolis. The sarcophagus, reused as spolia within the wall, was identified with its constituent parts: the trough/chest, lid, hyposorion, and podium blocks. These fragments, found in close proximity to one another, had been enclosed with blocks from other architectural structures, as seen in other sections of the wall. A relief and door profile observed on the lateral face of one of the blocks, believed to belong to the same sarcophagus, indicated that this rectangular block had originally been part of the hyposorion. This block, featuring a depiction of a male figure wearing a himation, was evaluated, together with other fragments belonging to the lid, chest, main body, and podium. Based on comparisons with other sarcophagi in the Lycian region, the Tlos example was identified as a hyposorion-type sarcophagus, and a restitution proposal was made. This tomb architecture, which is common throughout the region, finds one of its earliest known examples dating from the Classical Period in Tlos. Further, it has been determined that this sarcophagus predates and bears similarities to the Payava Sarcophagus from Xanthos.