Rare Egyptian Relief Depicting God Tutu Found in Roman Bath at Sagalassos: Crafted from Afyon Marble

Archaeologists at the ancient city of Sagalassos in Türkiye’s Burdur province have identified a rare marble relief depicting the Egyptian sphinx-god Tutu, carved from Afyon (Docimian) marble and discovered inside a Roman bath complex. The finding — a striking blend of Anatolian craftsmanship and Egyptian iconography — reveals how distant cultures interacted in the artistic sphere of the Roman Mediterranean.

Egyptian Iconography in the Heart of Anatolia

The relief was first uncovered in 2004 within the northern frigidarium (cold room) of the city’s Bath-Gymnasion complex, but only recent analysis led by Prof. Dr. Peter Talloen of Bilkent University confirmed its subject: an “Egyptianizing” decorative program featuring Tutu, a sphinx-like guardian god of protection and power.

Unlike full sculptures, the images were engraved into thin marble panels using incision techniques. The choice of Afyon marble, a prized local stone, underscores that this was a regional creation inspired by Egyptian motifs, not an import. It is a remarkable case of cultural translation—Egyptian divine imagery adapted into Roman Anatolian material culture.

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Symbolism of Tutu, Horus, and Sobek

In the relief, Tutu is flanked by Horus (the falcon god symbolizing kingship) and Sobek (the crocodile god representing the life-giving power of the Nile). The composition evokes royal protection and divine authority, with Tutu acting as guardian and Horus affirming legitimacy.

Architectural framing—such as stylized lintels, crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, and balanced symmetry—reveals a sophisticated awareness of Egyptian royal symbolism, reinterpreted through local Roman aesthetics.

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Anatolian Marble, Mediterranean Ideas

The relief’s Afyon (Docimian) marble provenance links it to quarries near Afyonkarahisar, famous since Roman times for their luminous white stone. The use of this local marble emphasizes Sagalassos’ role as both a regional production center and a hub of Mediterranean artistic circulation.

Prof. Talloen notes that Sagalassos maintained strong economic and cultural ties with Egypt — exporting ceramics, wine, and agricultural products, while importing fish species and artistic influences. The Tutu panel therefore stands as material testimony to cross-cultural exchange across the Eastern Mediterranean.

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A City Frozen in Time

Located on the slopes of the Akdağ Mountains, Sagalassos has yielded continuous occupation layers spanning 12,000 years. The Roman city, buried by earthquakes and landslides, remained exceptionally preserved. Excavations, initiated in 1989 and currently directed by Bilkent University, have revealed fountains, baths, statues, and monumental architecture.

Today, Sagalassos is listed on UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List, reflecting its global archaeological significance.

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New Avenues of Research

Researchers now aim to conduct material and pigment analyses to reconstruct the relief’s original appearance. The engraved panels may once have been painted or gilded, adding to their visual power. The team will also investigate whether Egyptianizing motifs were part of a broader trend in Roman Anatolia, suggesting either religious syncretism or elite fascination with exotic imagery.

As Prof. Talloen observes, “Outside Egypt, such iconography is virtually unknown. The Sagalassos relief allows us to see how Egyptian visual language traveled — and transformed — within the Roman world.”

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Conclusion

The Afyon marble relief of the god Tutu from Sagalassos unites local material, Roman context, and Egyptian meaning in one extraordinary artifact. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, it demonstrates how Anatolia functioned as a crossroads of empire, where artistic traditions intertwined to express universal themes of power, divinity, and protection.

This discovery not only enriches our knowledge of Sagalassos but also reshapes the map of Egyptian influence across the Roman East.

Cover Photo: Public Domain