AN UNUSUAL FLOWER AMONG THE TRADITIONAL ANTHEMION IN SMINTHEION: ARUM MACULATUM

Abstract

Anthemion frieze in Greek and Roman architecture consists of lotus and palmette flowers, whose origins are based on Egyptian and Assyrian art. Compared to the classical and Hellenistic architectural samples, there is much more variety in the architectural decorations of the Roman period, apart from the lotus-palmette. The reason for this diversity in decoration stems from the idea of Rome to emphasize the local and to increase the richness in decoration. During this period, the change in the arrangement of the lotus-palmette shows itself with the different arrangement and style of the lotus and palmettes on the same structure. In this thought, which aims to create richness instead of uniformity, decorations can either increase or decrease in size or be adorned in high relief or shallow, depending on where they are used. Vivid specimens that show the highest quality of workmanship and are pleasing to the eye are preferred in visible areas. Anthemion decoration has been widely used in the Hellenistic triple arrangement since the Augustus period and the Julius-Claudian period. In the Traian and Hadrian Periods, a return to the classical style of the Augustus period was made, and the triple arrangement became fashionable again. One example that adds a new type to this traditional lotus-palmette (anthemion) frieze is the Smintheion frieze block fragment. Here, the arum maculatum is placed instead of the lotus flower between the alternating open and closed palmettes seen in the most common anthemion decoration. Arum maculatum and arum species have been used in the treatment of some diseases since ancient times to find healing and continue to be used today. The fact that this plant is the most powerful and showy plant that survived around Gülpınar-Smintheion must have had a great impact on people. Arum is a plant that impresses people with its external appearance and leaves different implications with its sexual connotation. At the same time, it is different from other plants in that it contains both male and female flowers and its physical structure. Due to this structure, it attracts insects to itself and makes extraordinary fertilization. The appearance of the plant and its use in the field of health caused it to be named differently. The depiction on the frieze block in Smintheion must be related to the healing properties of Apollo