مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري

Abstract :

It is known that the ancient city of Stratonikeia within the boundaries of Karia region, which is situated in Eskihisar village of Mugla-Yatagan, has a rich terracotta assemblage dating to Hellenistic and Roman periods. A group of this is composed of three terracotta masks which are now being conserved in the stores of Mugla Museum. These masks are manufactured in moulds and they have a string hole in both sides. As these masks have holes for mouth and eyes, they must have been used as theatre masks. Beside this function in the theatre, it is known that masks served different purposes such as removing the bed spirits, getting protected from maladies and symbolizing divinities. The masks that are the subject of this paper are dating to Late Hellenistic- Early Roman Imperial Period. Terracotta findings obtained during the excavations in Stratonikeia emphasize the importance of the city in the Hellenistic Period and support the existence of some pottery workshops. In this study, 3 terracotta masks found in Stratonikeia are examined in detail and are studied in aspects of typology and iconography. Hereby, a different group of terracotta from Stratonikeia will be introduced to other scholars.