Prehistoric Paintings in the Akyapi Cave in Mersin / Gulnar

WOS: 000403014500001The cave paintings in the Akyapi (AlaKapi) cave, near the town of Gulnar (Mersin) have been discovered in 2012 and they are regarded as unique for the Middle Taurus region. In these paintings which are excursively scattered on the cave walls, the same figure was presented several times. The human figures have their arms raised upwards with elbows knicked in an angle of 90 degrees and with knees also knicked in the same angle as the arms. The figures have big phalloi (?). The fact that the standard figure in question was depicted several times and that there is no other subject in the cave walls indicate the importance of both the cave and the depicted character. Because of its huge phallos, it is suggested that the figure in question is a sacred being, and that the cave was probably a sacred place. It is assumed that the cave paintings of Akyapi in the Middle Taurus region where the number of prehistoric researches are so scanty may be dated to Neolithic or Chalcolithic period