1. Introduction

The Cave or Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, or Seven Sleepers Cemetery, lies outside the ancient city wall, on the eastern slope of the Panayırdağ. According to a well-known literary tradition¹ seven young men fled and hid in a cave during the persecution of the Christians under the Emperor Decius (249-251 AD). After the cave was walled up the entombed men fell asleep. During the reign of Theodosios II the cave was opened by chance and the seven boys woke up. This fact was interpreted as proof of the bodily resurrection of the dead.² The names of the youths were, according to the sources, Maximilianus, Exacustodianus, Iamblichus, Martinianus, Dionysius, John and Antoninus.³

The Cave houses a necropole with different kinds of burials: simple graves which are directly carved into the living rock, arcosolia in the walls, monumental buildings (mausoleia). It dates probably in the 2^nd or 3^rd c. AD. Due to the legend of the miracle many people wished to be buried in or near the cave. That is why the complex was permanently enlarged by rebuildings and additions till the 6^th c. AD. Around the 7^th c. AD, the cemetery was abandoned.

2. Architectural description

The necropole is a detached monument on the rugged slope of the Panayırdağ in the west of the Stoa of Damian. The preferred materials for the construction of the monument are living rock, quarrystone (limestone) and bricks. The bigger part of the walls is made up of living rock. But there are also walls of quarrystone and brick. Sometimes even opus mixtum was used. All domes and vaults consist of bricks.

Because of the geological situation (rugged rocks of the slope) the complex had to be built on different levels, i.e. storeys and terraces (fig. 1). The lowest level is occupied by a rectangular antechamber, a narrow dromos (corridor) and a large hall with an apse to the west (Apsidal hall). Herein numerous graves under the floor and burial niches in the walls (arcosolia) were found (fig. 3). The upper level is characterized by terraces in the north and south with some mausoleia and halls (for example Hall IV and Tersinoe hall). One level above there is the centre of the complex, which is a church (12.6 by 10 m) to the south of the Apsidal Hall (fig. 4). The building consists of a square nave (about 6 by 6 m) and an apse to the east. On the opposite side there is a vestibule (length of about 5 m). A small catacombe with the assumed burial places of the Seven Sleepers was found beneath the floor of the church. In the west of the church another hall (Burial place: 15.8 by 7.25 m) with numerous graves in the soil and burial niches in the walls was erected. To the south of the church a large domed mausoleum (so-called Abradas-Mausoleum⁴) was built on the highest level of the complex (fig. 2).

The whole complex has approximately 700 burial sites. A direct spatial connection with one of the other necropolis of the city cannot be certified.

Formerly the church as well as the burial hall and mausoleia were floored with mosaics and decorated with frescoes. Unfortunately only few original parts are preserved (fig. 5). The pavement of the church for example was an opus tessellatum, the geometrical pattern was laid in black and white. In the opinion of the excavator both - the church as well as the mosaic - are contemporary and were made in the 5^th c. AD⁵. Contrary to this dating (which was proposed due to the legend) a new approach was offered in the 70s of the 20^th c. AD. Because of stylistic reasons and numismatic finds the last quarter of the 4^th c. now seemed to be most probable⁶. But also this attempt at dating now is to be re-discussed, as the mosaics of the slope houses of Ephesus (which show the same techniques and repertoire) are to be set in the 3^rd c. AD⁷. The mosaics on the walls of the cemetery (a portray of a defunt?, an apostle or prophet)⁸ are much younger. Probably they can be dated in the 7^th or 8^th c. AD⁹.

Specially in the main vault of the Apsidal hall there are rests of frescoes¹⁰ showing garlands, baskets and birds on a white background. Because of stylistic features the painting can be dated rather to the 3^rd11 than to the 4^th c. AD¹² (cf. the mosaics in the church). Only a few parts of frescoes are preserved at the entrance of the catacombe and in some of its chambers. They can be classified as belonging to the Byzantine period.

A huge quantity of lamps¹³ (approximately 2000 pieces) were found all over the cemetery. Their production can be set in the period between the 1^st and the 6^th c. AD¹⁴.

3. History

The Panayırdağ has always been a holy place in Christian tradition. But not only the Seven Sleepers were adorned. Numerous literal sources also inform about the burial of quite a number of well known people on or nearby the hill: Saint Timothy, Saint Hermione, Mary Magdalene, Aristobul, Paul of Thebes, Adauctus and Callisthena etc.¹⁵.

There are no indications concerning the further history of the establishment. Due to some medieval literary sources and inscriptions¹⁶ the cemetery seems to have been known as a special place for pilgrimage during the Byzantine period of the city. But even during the post Byzantine period an increased significance can be noted as the Ephesian Seven Sleeper Cemetery is also linked with an event told in the Koran (Ashab al Kahf)¹⁷. That is why even today not only Christians but also Muslims¹⁸ go on pilgrimage to the holy site.

The oldest part of the complex seems to be the Apsidal Hall which is situated on the lowest level. The area in the next layer (i.e. the part of the later church) can be dated to the 3^rd c. AD. The youngest of the numerous late Antique expansions can be seen in the Abradas-Mausoleum (6^th c. AD)¹⁹.