Travels in Turkey and back to England

by Edmund Chishull

The village of Kirkingécui is intirely Christian, and supposed to be the miserable remains of the church of Ephesus. The παπᾶς, or priest, here pretended to shew us a venerable manuscript of the Evangelists, wrote, as he said, by Prochorus, one of the seven deacons, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles[41]. Upon inspection the character indeed appeared antient, and possibly may be that of the sixth or seventh century; but the book itself is nothing else but a Lectionarium, or Copy of the Gospels, so portioned into lessons, according to the ritual of the Greek church, that, begining at St. John on Easter day, the four Evangelists are read out by the return of the year. The sight of that manuscript, and of the small parish church, was the business of this morning; after which we descended by the same pleasant road, which we had traveled last night, and so arriving about ten a clock we take possession of the public kane at Ephesus[42].

The once glorious and renowned Ephesus was seated in a fruitful vale, encompassed almost round with mountains[43], at a small distance from the Caýster, and about five miles eastward from cape Trogilium; where, at the common charge of all Ionia, the Panionia, or common councils of Ionia, were formerly celebrated. This vale rises advantagously in the middle with two or three little hills[44], on which the several parts of the antient city lay extended. The same spot of ground is still covered with the rich remains of its former glory. Such are the massy walls, the portals, the arches, the aqueducts, the marble chests, together with the dejected cornishes, shafts, and capitals of many lofty pillars. But the face of the whole yeilds a melancholy and disagreable prospect, being overrun with an incredible quantity of rank and luxuriant weeds, which serve only to corrupt the air, and to conceal the curiosities of the place. This we found to be a disadvantagous circumstance, and such as doubled the labour of this day in compassing the circuit of the city, and tracing the uncertain footsteps of so many valuable antiquities. But because these cannot so intelligibly be represented in the order, in which we viewed them, we shall methodically consider Ephesus, as lying in three distinct ruins of a Turkish, Christian, and Heathen city.

The freshest ruins of this place appear to be Turkish, and such as witness, that it has been in considerable repute even under its last barbarous conqueror; who also has changed the name of Ephesus into that of Aiasalúck. Here are to be seen the remains of five or six mosques, besides one which is still used for Mahometan service. In several places there occur the walls of ruined bagnios, tho they are incredibly increased by the fabulous Turks, and reported to have been here to the number of three hundred and sixty six. But that, which most plainly evidences the late riches of the place, are the many beautiful monuments, which we viewed among their burying places, most of them inscribed with fair Turkish characters. Tis observable, that these are cut rising from the plane of the stone, and not indented within the surface; which is the constant fashion of the Turks in all their public monuments, in opposition to the custom of other times and nations. It is not certain, whether the new castle, which stands to the northward of the old citadel, be of Grecian or Turkish fabric; however it is still kept in repair by the Turks, and filled within the circuit of the walls with fifty or sixty small cottages, which with two or three scattering tenements are the only habitations of the present Ephesus.

For such monuments of Christianity, as are here visited by travelers, we are beholden to the tradition of the neighbouring Christians; who shew the place of St. Mark’s and St. Paul’s church, together with the standing walls of that dedicated to St. John; which last apostle, returning from his banishment in Patmos upon the death of Domitian, lived, and died, and was interred at Ephesus[45]. The church of St. John, tho still entire, is however miserably transformed, and converted into the profane use of a Turkish mosque. Like all other mosques of the better fashion, it has a square and spacious yard on the north side, with three different entrances belonging to it. Those to the east and west are reasonably well beautified, being adorned above the portals with curious Turkish sculptures, and materials of rich polished marble. From this yard we enter the mosque by five wooden doors, all of which are carved to an exquisite perfection. Within appear a splendid pulpit and kiblé, both consisting of wrought marble, and the latter more particularly imbellished with painting and gilding of great art and variety. But what are most justly admired and celebrated by all, who have traveled hither, are the four pillars of granate marble, standing in a right line from east to west, and supporting two cupolas, that compose the roof. They are so far disproportioned, that the least is almost three, and the biggest near four feet diameter; besides which the pedestals of some are quite covered with the floor, and all besides one, which is of the compound order, have lost their antient capitals. All these are circumstances, which unanswerably demonstrate, that these pillars are now transported from their first places. And in truth, when the whole fabric is diligently compared with all other Turkish mosques, and this consideration further added, that there appears no sign of an altar to the east, or door to the west end; it will be more than probable, that nothing but the southern wall can be the remains of a Christian church. About a mile to the south west of this place, and in the midst of the antient city, stands an high wall, and adjoining thereto a stately gatehouse, in which are these words, most curiously engraven:

.... ACCENSO ....

.... RENSI ET ASIAE ...

Together with this imperfect inscription are to be seen the defaced figure of a man on horseback, and another of a serpent twisted round a tree. This is by most adjudged to be a Christian ruin; and indeed if we consider its beauty and grandeur, as it can be no very modern building, so by reason of its misplaced carvings and inverted inscriptions it cannot be very antient; but may conveniently be refered to those times, in which Christianity began to flourish here. And after this there will be room to put in another conjecture, and to guess from the stateliness of the fabric, that it might be the place, where that famous general council of almost two hundred bishops condemned the heresy of Nestorius, in the year four hundred thirty one; tho his errors are still living among the Indians and Chaldeans, two sects which are numerous in the eastern parts of Asia[46]. Those other Christian monuments, which are commonly shewn at Ephesus, are merely fabulous; and serve only to cheat and abuse the curiosity of many travelers, who undergo no little pains and difficulty in coming hither. Such are the cave of the seven sleepers; the font, in which St. John is said to have baptized so many primitive Christians; and a square watch tower, which ordinarily goes by the name of St. Paul’s prison. This last stands upon a small hill, about a mile nearer the sea, than was the temple of Diana; and is indeed worth visiting by those, who have not so much superstition or credulity; for its situation gives a commanding prospect over the stream of the Caýster, which here seems to rival the Maeander, and plays with many wanton windings in the adjoining plain.

The chief heathen antiquities, that are to be seen at Ephesus, are the remainder of the old citadel, and the foundation of the temple of Diana. The former of these is an intire gate, with two broken walls adjoining on each side, which being situated on a convenient ascent, towards the north east of the ancient city, most probably was a sort or citadel, that defended it on that quarter. This gatehouse has the marks of considerable antiquity, tho it has been rebuilt from other more antient ruins; as is evident from some misplaced stones, and broken reversed inscriptions, that occur in the work. Among these are viewed with great satisfaction three flat marble stones, curiously cut in basso relievo; which tho of different design, and unequal breadth, are placed in a line to adorn the arch of the gate.

The first of these marbles (reckoning from the left hand as we front the gate) has been somewhat injured by time; but from the portraiture of grapes and baskets, and four or five figures in gay and youthful postures, it may be presumed to represent a Bacchanal.

The second marble is a military piece, consisting of many intire figures, all cut in postures very bold and masterly, and such as undoubtedly are the work of some noble hand. It designs a warlike horse surprized by an enemy, with his rider lying at his feet; near which several persons are carried captive by Roman soldiers. The chieftain stands by, and is supplicated by a woman in a large loose mantle, whose intercession seems to intercept the action. This has been by some refered to the destruction of Troy, and by others to a Christian persecution; but with greater probability it may be thought to represent the event of some Roman victory.