AROUND SAMSUN- AMASYA

King Tombs

There are stone tombs of kings in various parts of Amasya, which are Pontus kings' tombs according to historian Strabon from Amasya. The tomb called "Kızlar Sarayı(Girls' Palace)" by Strabon is five stone tomb in monumental nature. The king tombs were made in the locations viewing the city, and they have reached present time. 

Some stone tombs of Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire ending Pontus ruling are evaluated as chapels. The stone tombs used for various purposes during Ottoman and Selçuklu Period are offered to visits of people. 

King Tombs on Kızlar palace location and the ones on visit road to Aynalı Inn f km away from the city are different from other king tombs both in size and shape. They are in inverse U shape in comparison to the stone block where they are located. The others do not have this characteristic. Therefore it can be said that those monumental tombs were Pontus originated, and others were made in small sizes and more simply and were belong to some wealthy people of the Period(religious people).

KING TOMBS AND AMISOS HILL

Amisos Treasure

During the road enlargement works in Ancient Amisos city, at Cedit quarter, it was informed on Tuesday, 28 November 1995 that a hole was seen and some researchers from the museum went there to work. 

There was a tomb which had been constructed by carving the conglomerate rock layer. Its floor and ceiling walls had been stuccoed by mortar made of brick dust and lime. The dimensions of the tomb was 5-5.5 m and its height was 2.30 m. Inside the tomb, there were five graves three of which were used and two of which were vacant. It was so understood that this was a family tomb. After the skeletons in the three graves were examined, it was seen that two of them belonged to flames and one of them belonged to a male. Besides, when we examine the archaelogical remnants like jewellery (death gifts), post and pans, we think that the male grave may belong to a highlevel, administrator (like a Prince, King or Commander) of the Ponthus Kingdom and one of the graves of the females may belong to the wife (queen?) of the said person (king?) and the other grave may belong to their doughter.

We see that the jewellery are located in appropriate places (that is, the crown is on the head, necklace is on the neck and the earrings are at the level of the ear) in this tomb that is in the form of an Insitu. 

Amisos had had its golden age during the Kingdom of Mithridades, VI. Ponthus King, and had become the government centre of the empire. Culture and art became widespread in this period and the most developed mints and ceramic ateliers of the ancient times were established and developed in Amisos. The richness of these graves, the quality and delicacy of the golden death gifts and the symbols used have close similarities with the shapes and symbols on the Amisos Coins minted during the period of Mithridades VI.