Roman-Era Mask Reliefs Found in Theater

OSMANIYE, TURKEY—An additional five mask reliefs have been revealed in the theater area at the site of Kastabala in southern Turkey, bringing the total number of mask reliefs discovered this year to 36, according to an Anadolu Agency report. The settlement’s 5,000-seat theater has been dated to the first century A.D. One of the newly uncovered reliefs depicts an elderly philosopher, said Faris Demir of Osmaniye Korkut Ata University. “This indicates that the theater served not only as a performance venue but also as a cultural center where philosophical and literary discussions were held,” he explained. The excavation team has also found other architectural elements that will help restore the structure, Demir concluded. To read about a terracotta mask depicting Dionysus that was uncovered in western Turkey's ancient city of Daskyleion, go to "Who Is That Masked God?"