Building Research at the Mausoleum in Belevi

Research project P 14505 Building Research at the Mausoleum in Belevi Fritz KRINZINGER 26.6.2000 The mausoleum in Belevi is one of the well preserved monuments of early hellenism, though Austrian archaeologists who were involved with the excarvations in Ephesos included also this historical building in their research. Nowdays this ancient construction is endangered by the motorway lzmir-Aydin, which was built recently and comes very close (about 80 m) to the monument. In the light of the above and also of the publication of the earlier and not final examinations of the mausoleum (C. Praschniker - M. Theuer, Das Mausoleum von Belevi, FiE VI [ 1979]), some concluding researches are highly required. Therefore we are obliged vis-a-vis the Republic of Turkey and vis-a-vis the international panel of experts to resume our examinations on the monument with modern methology and with points of present interest in order to prepare a totally revised edition. Works on the site, local investigations and systematic considerations and analysis in Vienna are necessary to this project. It has to be emphazised, that, based on the overall documentations, the mausoleum, which is more and more threatened and falling into ruin, requires a theoretical reproduction. The following is required and expected: Totally new results and answers based on the anticipated changes of the structure and the resulting possible phases, the detailed examination of the construction technique and the engineering as well as the ornaments of the building and finally the chronological and typological evaluation of the monument. During the preparing documentary campaigns in 1998 and 1999 we could gain a complete new understanding of the reconstruction of the upper story. The planed revision, the recording and the new valuation of lots of details of construction (e.g. the clearly visible phases of construction of the architectural decoration, which can be assumed from the unfinished state of the monument and the limemortar which was used in order to fill up the gaps behind the panelling of the socle) allow to expect an essential impulse on the history of construction and the developement of hellenistic architecture.

The mausoleum in Belevi is one of the few well preserved monuments of early hellenism, though Austrian archaeologists who were involved with the excavations in Ephesos included also this historical building in their research. Nowadays this ancient construction is endangered by the motorway Izmir - Aydin, which was built recently and comes very close to the monument and the incomplete publication of the earlier and unfinished examination of the mausoleum (C. Praschniker - M. Theuer, Das Mausoleum von Belevi, FiE VI [1979]) highly requires concluding researches. Therefore we are obliged to resume our examinations on the monument with modern methology and with points of present interest in order to prepare a totally revised edition. Works on the site, local investigations and systematic considerations and analysis in Vienna have been the goals of the project and will create the basis for the preparation of the publication in a two-years follow-up project (FWF-project nr. P 16926-G02). The documentation of the more and more dilapidating building represents one of the projects focal points. Despite the huge dimensions of the monument drawings were carried out by hand using scale 1:10. These drawings were assembled to plans, sectional views and elevations by the aid of a dense network of geodetic points. Photogrammetric work supported hand-drawings of the side views. Special typs of architectural blocks, which were seperated from their original context, were drawn and technical details were listed up to built the basis for answering actual questions of the reconstruction. Supplementary a photographic documentation completed the work. The theoretical reproduction of the mausoleum built a further focal point. The base storeys height could be ascertained, the sophisticated system of block joints in the walls as well as extention and construction of the blind door in the main front could be proved. In the upper floor the dimension of the ledger of the columns and the position of walls and piers could be found. It was proved, that the central part of the building was built as an uncovered courtyard. The construction of the roof covering the surrounding peristasis could be found out. The roof inclined to the courtyard, whose flooring was strongly sloping to the west. Ascertaining the monuments original shape opened the possibility to determinate the main proportions of the building. Essential findings regarding the monuments construction technique enabled the stone-based reconstruction and subsequently the Anastylosis of the surviving parts of the grave chamber as well as the reconstruction of the upper storeys entablature. The numerous remains of limemortar date certainly from the original Hellenistic period.