VAULTED STRUCTURE
The Vaulted Structure adjoins the east portico of
Hierapolis Street on its east; the rectangular structure measures 5.75x11 m
with a height of 3.50 m. It was originally built as a shop or storehouse in the
first phase of Hierapolis Street and in its last phase (ninth century) it
served as a tomb. The skulls uncovered in it and carbon-14 dated as well as
frescoes and coins of the ninth century verify this phase.
The east-west oriented structure is covered with a
vault of creek stones and mortar (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 ). The entrance is
on the west side (Fig. 3) and a lighthole on the east wall
opposite the entrance lets light inside. Erosion had filled in the interior in
course of time via the entrance and the lighthole and preserved it (Fig. 4).
The filling inside was removed out using an electric-powered conveyor belt.
The east wall of the structure is decorated with
frescoes (Fig. 5). The frescoes feature polychromatic figural depictions and
motifs. The panel on the left features probably a shield with the portrait of
Christ in the centre; it is carried by a pair of angels flying, flanking it on
both sides. In the upper right corner of the composition is a saint (?) holding
a sceptre with cruciform tip. Although not preserved, a similar saint figure
should have been depicted also to the left of the scene. The panel on the right
depicts an interior with a woman looking out through a window. Considering the
entire composition as a whole suggests that Ascension of Christ and the saints
and faithful watching this phenomenon were depicted.
