subject: The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus [print this page] Author: Gaurav Kaushik Author: Gaurav Kaushik
In the year 377 B.C., the town of Halicarnassus was the capital of a little kingdom all along the Mediterranean shore of Asia Minor. It was in this year the monarch of this land, Hecatomnus of Mylasa, expired and left organization of the kingdom in the hands of his son, Mausolus. Who was go-getting and had taken power of numerous of the neighboring towns and regions. Mausolus, with the queen Artemisia, ruled over Halicarnassus and the territories in the vicinity for 24 years. Then around 353 B.C. Mausolus died, leaving Artemisia, who was also his sister ( it was the tradition in Caria for monarchs to marry their own sisters) grief-stricken As a mark of respect to him, she determined to build for him one of the most marvelous tomb in the whole world. It developed into a structure so eminent that Mausolus's name is now linked with all imperial tombs throughout our modern word mausoleum. The building was also so attractive and exceptional that it became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Artemisia declared that no cost was to be cut in the building of the mausoleum. The tomb was put up on a mound facing the city. The whole construction sat in a closed courtyard. At the middle of the courtyard was a stone raised area on which the tomb was placed. A staircase, edged by stone lions, escorted to the summit of this platform. At the center of the platform was placed the tomb itself. Hanging on top was the tomb's penultimate work of sculpture: Four enormous horses drawing a chariot in which images of Mausolus and Artemisia ride. Almost immediately after construction of the tomb commenced Artemisia found herself in a deep crunch situation. Artemisa survived only for two years subsequent to the death of her husband. Both would be buried in the yet incomplete tomb. According to the famous historian Pliny, the craftsmen planned to continue and complete the work after their benefactor expired.The Mausoleum faced the town of Halicarnassus for numerous centuries.
In nearly 1846 the Museum sent the archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton to look for for more leftovers of the Mausoleum. Excavating down, Newton discovered the nearby part all the way through tunnels he dug under the nearby plots. He was able to find some walls, a stairway, and consequently three of the corners of the base. Newton then dug the location and found parts of the reliefs that ornamented the walls of the structure and pieces of the stepped roof. Also a conked out stone chariot wheel, some seven feet in diameter, from the statue on the roof was exposed. lastly, he found the statues of Mausolus and Artemisia that had been placed at the summit of the building. At present these pieces of art are placed in the Mausoleum Room at the British MuseumAbout the Author:
