Building Research at the Mausoleum in Belevi

The mausoleum of Belevi is one of the well preserved monuments of early hellenistic times and has been of interest to the Austrian archaeology since the beginning of the excavations in Ephesos. The first excavations took place in the years 1930 - 1935 (J. Keil, C. Praschniker, M. Theuer). They were followed by several smaller investigations in 1960 (H. Vetters) and during 1974 to 1978 (W. Alzinger, R. Fleischer). Although all the results of these works had been published in 1979 in the sixth volumne of "Forschungen in Ephesos" (C. Praschniker and M. Theuer: Das Mausoleum von Belevi. FiE 6, 1979), the archaeological and architectural research at the mausoleum remained still uncompleted. For the past years the structure of the monument has been endangered by the highway Izmir-Aydin, which comes very close (about 80m) to the monument, so that concluding research is highly required. Therefore we are obliged to the Republic of Turkey and to the international community of sciences to resume our examinations on the monument with modern methodology and with points of present interest in order to prepare a totally revised edition. Goals of this project are the concluding architectural investigation of the mausoleum and the systematic processing, the analysis and the publication of the materials. The detailed documentation of the structure of the mausoleum, which is more and more threatened to decay, is the base of the theoretical reproduction of the architecture of the monument. In comparison to the older reconstruction basically changes can be expected in the conception of the two-storey mausoleum: the upper floor is now reconstructed as an hypaethral core-building surrounded by a roofed peristasis. In concert with the detailed examination of the construction technique (e.g. the limemortar, which was used to fill the gaps behind the panelling of the pedestal), and the valuation of the engineering as well as of the decoration and finally with the chronological and typological evaluation of the monument totally new results and answers as well as an esential impulse on the history of construction and the development of hellenistic architecture can be anticipated.

The mausoleum in Belevi is one of the few 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. Nowadays this ancient construction is endangered by the motorway Izmir - Aydin, which was built recently and comes very close to the monument. In the light of the above and also of the incomplete publication of the earlier and not final examinations of this mausoleum (C. Praschniker - M. Theuer, Das Mausoleum von Belevi, FiE VI [1979]), some concluding researches are highly required. 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. Completing works on the site, systematic considerations and analysis in Vienna and preparation of the publication have been the goals of the project. The documentation of the more and more delapidating building was completed. 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. The theoretical reproduction of the mausoleum built the 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. Essential findings regarding the monuments construction technique enabled the stone- based reconstruction of floor, wall and vault blocks of the grave chamber. By reason of its early date this vault is of importance for the development of greek vault construction. In the upper floor the dimension of the column bays and the position of walls and piers could be found. It was proved, that the center part of the building was open-air. The construction of the roof covering the peristasis could be found out. The roof inclined to the inner court. The courts flooring was strongly sloping to the west. The stone- based reconstruction of the upper storeys entablature allowed it to specify the roofing system, the orientation of the relief slabs and the grouping of most of the roof sculptures on the west and north side. Ascertaining the monuments original shape opened the possibility to determinate the main proportions of this 100 to 100 ft. large building, which are based on simple and clear ratios. The numerous remains of limemortar date certainly from the original hellenistic period and give evidence of especially early application of wall mortar, which cannot be found or dated on comparable buildings.