A stone stela estimated to date back 2,500 years is now being displayed in Erzurum Museum after it was discovered in the eastern Turkish province of Erzurum three years ago.
A delegation of four experts, including Erzurum Museum Director Hüsnü Genç, arrived in the village and determined that the 123-centimeter-tall, 45-centimeter-wide statue resembling a human is a stela commonly seen near kurgans, burial mounds mainly found on the steppes of Central Asia and Eurasia. The kurgan is estimated to date back to the Kipchaks, a Turkic people also known as Cumans, who inhabited the Eurasian steppes stretching from the Danube River in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east.
After their examination and research, the academics and archaeologists estimated that it was dedicated to a great statesperson who passed away in Central Asia. Such stelae are known in Turkic cultures as "taş baba," which translates to "stone father."
Before it was displayed in the museum, the stela underwent maintenance, restoration and conservation work by the officials. Experts also said that the stela bears figures of an elixir, legendary water believed to provide immortality to those who drink it.
Erzurum Museum Director Hüsnü Genç spoke to an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent, explaining that three years ago in February, they responded to a report by visiting the highland in the Ormanlı neighborhood.
Genç emphasized that with the assistance of the gendarmerie, they protected the artwork in the highland and brought it to the city. He described the "stone father statue" as a unique artifact of both the museum and the country, explaining that it is a memorial stone erected on the graves of great statesmen by Turkish tribes, particularly those in Central Asia, prior to the advent of Islam. Essentially, they serve as tombstones.
Underlining the historical significance of the stone, especially in comparison to "stone fathers" found in Central Asia, Genç stated that it dates back to around 500 B.C. He elaborated on the features of the statue, mentioning that in line with Turkish traditions, the stone father is depicted holding a "Bengü Bade cup" in his hand and sporting a series of belts around his waist. These belts symbolize the status, position and rank of the deceased Turkish elder, with the number of lines on the belt indicating an increase in importance. The presence of the "Bengü Bade" cup in his hand signifies that after death, he attains immortality by drinking from the cup of eternity
Genç further highlighted that the artifact represents one of the most prominent forms and examples of Turkish burial traditions. He pointed out that no similar artifact exists in Türkiye because the originals are located in Central Asia. "Given that the Turkish race originated from Central Asia and spread to Türkiye, various examples can be found in the region. However, the first example of this kind is in the country is housed in our Erzurum museum. The artifact dates back approximately 2,500 years," he said.
