Visiting this part of Turkey is like visiting another planet. The magical geologic formations are out of a science fiction movie. No wonder so many movies have been shot here. The early inhabitants over 2,000 years ago called the organic ponty rock formations fairy chimnies. Many of them were used as tombs, so they could be closer to the gods. Rock tombs are the most commonly used tomb forms in Cappadocia. During the Roman period, it was believed that after death human spirit was taken by an angel up to the sky and then underground to be questioned. So, tombs that were carved in to high rock blocks were important for being closer to sky and being well protected. First, the semi-soft rock was carved to prepare the tomb room.
A tomb room generally has one or several rooms. The body was usually laid on a special platform prepared for the body and then every item that the deceased liked such as food, clothes, and other items placed somewhere close to the body. There was only one entrance to the room and it was protected by a rock door. Tomb’s outer side is flattened to give it a monumental image. Some of the tombs have columns and triangle plates to give the tombs a sanctuary feeling. Some of the more elaborate tombs were decorated with bas-reliefs carved int the tomb reflecting the deceased’s life and work.
