Location
The site where the rock painting was found is located on the gentle incline of the eastern slope of the Söğütdere at a height of approx. 290 m, just a few metres away from the bed of the brook (1.2). It consists of a small courtyard framed by rocks and gives the impression of being a natural sanctuary (4.5). The entrance is through a gap in the rocks on the western side (4.5).
The eastern boundary of this courtyard is formed by a large boulder whose courtyard side is subdivided by a deep fissure into a bench and an overhang (6.8). The paintings, which were probably mainly painted with the finger, were located on the weathered underside and backside of this overhang with the main picture in the more severely weathered southern part.
Interpretation
Among the Latmic rock paintings, the image at Göktepe is the main representative of the schematic style that preferred round forms; only one figure on the left edge of the picture is executed in an abstract, linear style.
In accordance with the edges resulting from the weathering, the picture can be divided into three zones (9-10): At the centre of the picture in the upper zone, a woman is depicted next to a right hand (10.11) with a human couple on each side. The right-hand couple is particularly well preserved (10.12): The female figure is shown in profile. With her disk-shaped head, long neck, rounded body forms, but above all her protruding buttocks, she has the appearance of a Neolithic female figurine transposed into a painting (13). The man to her right is shown en face with lowered arms and, as in most cases, without any indication of genitalia.
In contrast to the upper picture zone with its individual groups that make a rather static impression, the middle zone consists of a string of human figures, among which one group of eight moving, presumably dancing figures stands out. These are two female couples, three males, and the remains of a further female figure (9.10).
Below the four dancing maidens is a natural hollow with an artificially bevelled frame set in red that is part of the poorly preserved lower zone (9.10). It was painted and probably formed the central part of the whole composition. However, owing to the poor state of preservation the motif of this niche can no longer be recognised. Perhaps it showed a couple. Underneath this section, the remains of a small male figure and a red stripe which probably formed the frame of an additional picture can still be recognized (10).
At the left edge of the picture, one small male and two female figures are still to be seen, in addition two left hands (10.14) and a geometric sign (9.10). The topic of the picture as a whole is probably a spring or wedding festival at which there was dancing, and perhaps certain fertility rituals connected with this event were performed.
The site where the rock painting was found is located on the gentle incline of the eastern slope of the Söğütdere at a height of approx. 290 m, just a few metres away from the bed of the brook (1.2). It consists of a small courtyard framed by rocks and gives the impression of being a natural sanctuary (4.5). The entrance is through a gap in the rocks on the western side (4.5).
The eastern boundary of this courtyard is formed by a large boulder whose courtyard side is subdivided by a deep fissure into a bench and an overhang (6.8). The paintings, which were probably mainly painted with the finger, were located on the weathered underside and backside of this overhang with the main picture in the more severely weathered southern part.
Interpretation
Among the Latmic rock paintings, the image at Göktepe is the main representative of the schematic style that preferred round forms; only one figure on the left edge of the picture is executed in an abstract, linear style.
In accordance with the edges resulting from the weathering, the picture can be divided into three zones (9-10): At the centre of the picture in the upper zone, a woman is depicted next to a right hand (10.11) with a human couple on each side. The right-hand couple is particularly well preserved (10.12): The female figure is shown in profile. With her disk-shaped head, long neck, rounded body forms, but above all her protruding buttocks, she has the appearance of a Neolithic female figurine transposed into a painting (13). The man to her right is shown en face with lowered arms and, as in most cases, without any indication of genitalia.
In contrast to the upper picture zone with its individual groups that make a rather static impression, the middle zone consists of a string of human figures, among which one group of eight moving, presumably dancing figures stands out. These are two female couples, three males, and the remains of a further female figure (9.10).
Below the four dancing maidens is a natural hollow with an artificially bevelled frame set in red that is part of the poorly preserved lower zone (9.10). It was painted and probably formed the central part of the whole composition. However, owing to the poor state of preservation the motif of this niche can no longer be recognised. Perhaps it showed a couple. Underneath this section, the remains of a small male figure and a red stripe which probably formed the frame of an additional picture can still be recognized (10).
At the left edge of the picture, one small male and two female figures are still to be seen, in addition two left hands (10.14) and a geometric sign (9.10). The topic of the picture as a whole is probably a spring or wedding festival at which there was dancing, and perhaps certain fertility rituals connected with this event were performed.
Site: Göktepe
1) Area surrounding the Göktepe at Söğütözü with the Tekerlekdağ in the background.
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