The Rock Tomb of Kapilikaya

The rock tomb of Kapilikaya (kaya/kala/kara – “stone” in Armenian) is located in Kirkdilim, 27 km north of Corum, Turkey․

It is thought to be a tomb of the Hellenistic period, dating back to approximately the 2nd century B.C.
Rising above a gentle stream, a steep trail winds up the left side of the rock outcropping and eventually leads to a platform of stairs located directly in front of the tomb.

The tomb is not simply a door shaped façade but is actually a cube shaped structure cut out of the mountain, only connecting to the natural rock around it at a few points. From inside you can actually walk all the way around it or climb up onto its top.

The inner chamber of the tomb can only be accessed through entering a small square opening about halfway up the face of the structure. For now, you’ll have to get creative if you want to get into the tomb, as the rope that was hanging from above broke.

An inscription above the entrance reads “IKEZIOS,” 2 which some believe is attributed to an ancient commander named Ikezius.

A platform with a ladder leading up to the tomb itself is right in front of the tomb.
At the back of the tomb, people broke a stone and carved out the center of a massive cube, probably in search of treasure, as it is quite common in Turkey.

Nana Herouni