During my travels through Turkey, I visited the site of ancient Hieropolis near Pamukkale.

It was thrilling to meander through the ruins of the ancient cemetery with its many tombs from the 1st and 2nd century AD.

One of the coolest tombs I found was the one pictured above. The top was damaged by an earthquake and this massive funary monument bears an incredibly lengthy inscription.

According to the sign at the site:

[This is the grave of] Aelios Apollinarios and his wife Neratia Apollonis. On the facade is an inscription of great interest which refers to the punishment inflicted on those who violate the sepulchre: as well as the usual fines, it invokes diseases, misfortunes and punishments in the next world. This inscription has led to the building being named the Tomb of the Curses.

Here I reflected on the set of beliefs and values about human dignity, mortal remains, the afterlife, blessings and curses, and legacy that are detectable even during this early period.

These early centuries of the former millennium marked a time of tremendous development in the differentiation of anthropological, civilizational, and religious consciousness of these questions.

It was stimulating to be there and allow the site to make its impressions.