Xanthos - Harpy Tomb

Immediately south of the pillar tomb in Xanthos are the Roman agora and two tall pillar tombs. The more northerly of the two is the so-called Harpy Tomb (480 B.C.), a tower-like monolith 5m/16.5ft high on a rectangular base. The grave-chamber, with room for a number of urns, was decorated with reliefs (now replaced by casts) depicting two seated figures of women and three standing figures of men being honored by their relatives, while their souls are being carried off by harpies. This belief in bird-demons which carry the dead up to heaven may be the explanation of the pillar tombs. The pillar tomb to the south is topped by a house-shaped sarcophagus with a pitched roof (probably fourth century B.C.).