Rock tombs carved into the mountain slope overlooking Amasya are the most significant archaeological remains of the former Kingdom of Pontus. In fact, they are one of the few reminders of this country, next to the beautiful Hellenistic fortifications and the acropolis on the top of Mount Harşena, also located in Amasya. The site was added to the tentative list in the cultural category of UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.
Pontic tombs are part of the long-standing tradition of rock mausoleums that have been created in Anatolia since archaic times. It also includes, among others, Phrygian, Lycian, and Carian tombs.
For over a hundred years (281 BCE - 180 BCE), Amasya was the capital of the Mithridatic dynasty. During this period, five rulers from this dynasty managed their estates from here. We owe the first mention of their rock tombs to Strabo. According to the current state of knowledge, the rulers buried there in the tombs of Amasya are: Mithridates I (died in 266 BCE), Ariobarzanes (died in 250 BCE), Mithridates II (died around 210 BCE), Mithridates III (died around 190 BCE), and Pharnaces I (died around 155 BCE).
The royal necropolis consists of five tombs located within the later, Ottoman-era structure known as the Palace of the Maidens. During their construction, it was most likely planned to surround them all with corridors carved in the rock. However, corridors were only built around three tombs. In the case of the fourth of them, easily crumbling rock material stood in the way, and in the case of the fifth - the transfer of the capital of the country to Sinope (now Sinop) during the reign of Pharnaces I.
Another distinguishing feature of the Pontic tombs in Amasya is the location of the openings leading to the burial chambers high above the ground. As a result, you need a ladder to reach them. The chambers themselves are small, apparently intended for one or at most a few dead. Some chambers have stone benches along the walls. The rock tombs are 8 to 15 meters high. The largest one, which belonged to Pharnaces I, has an inscription carved above the opening, stating that "the phrourarch (commander of the castle) Metrodorus dedicated an altar and a flower-bed for the king Pharnaces I to the gods".
Interestingly, the tombs were not entirely carved out of the rock. Some of the structural elements, including some stairs, thresholds, and lintels, were made separately and attached to the rock wall using pins and tenons.
There are also ruins of Ottoman-era buildings near the tombs. The first of them are the Baths of the Palace of Maidens (tr. Kızlar Saray Hamamı), built in the 14th century and in use until the 19th century. To reach them, turn left just behind the ticket selling stand. On the right side there is the Palace of the Maidens (tr. Kızlar Sarayı). Moreover, there are nine more Pontic rock-tombs within the Amasya Fortress, located higher on the same mountain.
Visitor tips:
The tombs are located on the southern hillside of the 272 m-high Mount Harşena, just to the north of the city Amasya and the river Yeşilırmak. There is a small entry fee, in 2023 amounting to 25 TL. The interior of the tombs is not open to visitors, although we have heard about people who managed to circumvent this ban. However, we ask you to follow the rules in force when visiting the facility. Please note that to reach the tombs you have to walk quite steeply uphill. In some places the stone steps are in poor condition, so we recommend extreme caution.
The Pontic Tombs are a great vantage point for Amasya, so, when planning your visit, it is worth taking into account the time of day when good lighting will provide an unforgettable aesthetic experience.
The tombs themselves look much better from a distance than up close, which is partly the result of the work of vandals who left their signatures here, and partly the rather monotonous shape of the structures themselves. After dark, the tombs are illuminated and look particularly nice from the Yeşilırmak River valley.
