There are many tumuli between Karacasu and Aphrodisias. Three of them had been robbed by the antiquities smugglers. The structures of them had different characteristics and they gave to us some types of the tombs in Caria during the late Helenistic and early Roman period. So, three tumuli were excavated in 1968 by a team on behalf of the EEMG, under the direction of Prof. K. Erim[1].
THE TUMULUS “A” OF YUMRATEPE:
The tumulus is located 5,5 km. northwest of Aphrodisias (Fig. 1-2). The tomb is hewn out of limestone. It is entered through rock - hewn upper Dromos that leads down with a flight of hewn steps (Fig. 3-4). The dromos contains the usual fill of earth which was shoveled in after burial. The Upper Dromos and Lower, roofed Dromos are separated by a door which is closed with a lime-stone slab. The roof of the Lower Dromos is hewn in angular shape. At the end of the dromos a rectangular slab closes the entrance to the burial chamber.
The chamber contains five beds which were hewn out of limes-tone, on the east, west and the north sides (Fig. 5-6). Some pottery lamps and ceramic remains were found. These finds date the tumulus at the 1st cent. B.C. and Ist cent. A.D.
THE TUMULUS “B” OF YUMRATEPE:
This tomb is located 14.80 m. of east Yumratepe “A”. It has a room and a dromos which are hewn out of bedrock (limestone).
The dromos is similar to the Upper Dromos of the tumulus “A” of Yumratepe. It leads down with a flight of hewn steps (Fig. 7-8), and contains the fill of earth. A stone slab closes the small entrance to the burial chamber (Fig. 9).
The chamber is lying in an cast-west direction. It is roofed by three large stone slabs.
Pottery lamps and ceramic sherds, found in the dromos, are helpful in the dating process and indicate that the tomb can be dated at the Late Hellenistic - Early Roman period.
THE ÇAMLIBEL TUMULUS:
The tumulus, located in the area of Çamlıbel, between Yenice and Karacasu, is a mound 5 m. in height above the floor of the plain (Fig. 1, 10). The tomb consists of a dromos and two rooms (Fig. 11-12). The material used is the local limestone. The south wall of the dromos is built with dry masonary and stones of irregular sizes. The antechamber is 1.20 X 1.20 m. in dimensions and covered with two large slabs. There is a narrow door which is closed with rough stones on the southeast of the antechamber. All of the stones are held together with clamps. There is a door between the antechamber and the burial chamber and also two burial beds in the chamber.
The chamber is 2.60 m. long, 1.86 m. wide and 2.14 m. high. The floor paved with stone slabs and the roof covered with three large slabs (Fig. 13-16). The side walls are built with stones joined together with clamps and the inner face of the stones is dressed (Fig. 17).
A phallus was found on the top of the chamber. It was broken by the smugglers (Fig. 18-19). Pottery lamps and a small pitcher (Fig. 20) were found. It can be dated at the Late Hellenistic - Early Roman period based on its architectural characteristics and finds.
Another tumulus located 200 m. south of the Çamlıbel tumulus has been destroyed in the course of the road construction. There are indications of similarity with the tumulus of Çamlıbel.
THE YERTEPE TUMULUS:
It is located in the area of Yertepe, north of Güzelbeyli (Fig. 1). Two trenches were opened on the top and the west slope of the mound. A dromos (?) was found in the west trench. The walls were built with dry masonary and small stones of irregular size. It was covered with large and flat slabs. It was 6 m. long and there was no door or a room at the end of the dromos (?). Pottery sherds and a deep bowl (Fig. 21) dated at the Late Hellenistic - Early Roman period, were found.