Perre

Perrhe

Turkey · Adıyaman

Ancient cityExcavation ongoing
Approximate period50 BCE — 650 CEHellenistic, Roman and Byzantine See on the map ↓

In brief

Perre is one of the important cities of Commagene and is known for its extensive rock-cut cemetery. Alongside the tombs, excavations are investigating water infrastructure, buildings with mosaics and spaces used in daily life.

What was found?

  • 1Faience amulet depicting Pataikos

    A protective faience ornament bearing a depiction of Pataikos of Egyptian origin was found in a Hellenistic chamber tomb. The object documents the presence of a religious symbol of Egyptian origin at Perre.

  • 2Underground chamber tomb with multiple burials

    It was reported that 14 individuals were buried in the structure, which takes the form of a hypogeum, or underground chamber tomb. The tomb shows that multiple people were placed in the same burial space during the Hellenistic period.

  • 3Tomb beads and other amulets

    Various beads and other amulets were also recovered from the tomb containing the depiction of Pataikos. This assemblage offers an opportunity to study together the ornaments and protective objects accompanying the burials.

  • 4Traces of buildings with mosaic floors

    Excavations around Cennet Mozaiği uncovered traces of mosaic-floored buildings, architectural blocks and details of stonework. These contribute to understanding the city's buildings and decorative preferences.

  • 5Tandır oven remains

    Tandır oven remains were also identified among the traces of daily life during excavations. These finds provide tangible evidence for investigating food preparation activities at the settlement.

What does it point to?

Perre's tombs preserve both burial practices and the personal objects that accompanied people. The amulet of Egyptian origin indicates the circulation of different cultural symbols in the city; on its own, it does not prove that a community of Egyptian origin lived here.

What did it teach us?

  1. Documented the burial of multiple individuals in the same chamber tomb during the Hellenistic period.
  2. Showed that a depiction of Pataikos of Egyptian origin was present among the grave goods at Perre.
  3. Provided evidence of urban life outside the cemetery through traces of mosaic-floored buildings and tandır ovens.

Images

Perrhe1
Klaus-Peter Simon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Latest news / selected archive

In 2025, a faience amulet depicting Pataikos and other ornaments were found in a chamber tomb dated to the Hellenistic period, in which 14 individuals were buried.

Record

Culture
Commagene, Roman and Byzantine
Team / historical
Adıyaman Museum Directorate
Coordinates
37.7917°, 38.3011°

Sources

  1. dosim.ktb.gov.tr
  2. en.wikipedia.org
  3. aa.com.tr
  4. aa.com.tr

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