Eastern Turkiye September 10, 2026
Eastern Turkiye September 10, 2026 - ancient city of Perrhe and Istanbul Archeological Museum
It’s our last day already! We stayed in Adiyaman overnight, near the Commagene Kindgom sites between the Euphrates River and the Taurus Mountains. This morning we visited one last Commagene site, the massive city of Perrhe. This city was ruled by the Commagene kings, but in the early 1st century became taken over by Rome. It is near a cluster of still flowing springs and so has had occupation from neolithic times on.
The necropolis (grave) area is thought to be the largest in Türkiye. Because it was occupied by various cultures in the late BC and early AD, there are grave niches / catacombs / free standing sarcophagi - a huge variety showing various cultural preferences. You had to walk through the necropolis to get to the Acropolis - or top of the actual city (which has not been excavated).
The ancient spring area was recently restored and water is still flowing. Studies show a complex web of ancient piping underground. The little village still uses the water.
Our group flew from the little airport in Adiyaman together to Istanbul where we parted ways. Craig and I stayed the night at the airport hotel to catch a morning flight home and the rest of the group flew to Antalya to start a separate tour with the C.S. Lewis Institute in a couple of days. So thankful for new and old friends and for Jim and Belgin our forever Biblical adventure guides!.
Since we had a free evening, we got a driver to take us into Istanbul to see a part of the Archeological Museum that has been closed for years - the Ancient Orient building. Absolutely incredible!! So many things from the Hittite sites in Anatolia and many Assyrian and Babylonian objects. The pictures are of a few that have some Biblical context.
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Necropolis (grave area) of the Commagene city of Perrhe, later a roman city. Largest necropolis in ancient Turkiye
