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Episode 8 - The Lion's Horoscope
This episode of Things We Threw Away focusses on the plaster cast in the Allard Pierson museum of the Lion’s Horoscope relief from the Mount Nemrut (Turkey), see FIg. 1. The relief once formed part of the hierothesion, the tomb sanctuary of King Antiochus I of Commagene. The episode moves between the original landscape of the monument and the copy in a museum setting.
Fig. 1: Showing the location
The starting point is not the mountain itself, but a plaster cast. It is located at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam, and is a coloured replica of the Lion’s Horoscope, which stands near the exit kind of behind a curtain. The lion is large, with an open mouth, exposed tongue, and showing musculature. The recolouring gives it yellow and red tones against a blue background, which makes it quite present and visible in its own way. Across the lion’s body are nineteen eight-pointed stars, while a crescent moon sits beneath the head like a collar or necklace. Above the lion’s back, three larger stars are labelled in Greek as Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter. Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, is placed close to the chest. See for that Fig. 5 and 6.
Fig. 2: Reconstructions
With more than two thousand metres high and located in south-eastern Turkey, the tomb sanctuary is remote and exposed to the weather. At its centre stands an artificial tumulus, roughly fifty metres high, with terraces in the east and west, see FIg. 2. These terraces once carried colossal seated statues of gods and of Antiochus I himself, all carved from limestone. Zeus-Oromasdes, Apollo-Mithras-Helios-Hermes, and Herakles-Artagnes-Ares sit alongside the king at equal height, see Fig. 4.
Fig. 3: Portraits of Otto Puchstein and Theresa Goell
Karl Sester first reported the site in 1881 while surveying roads for the Ottoman administration. Soon after, Karl Humann and Otto Puchstein (Fig. 3) carried out systematic documentation, recognising the astronomical character of the lion relief and producing an early plaster cast, of the one from the western terrace not its sibling from the eastern terrace. Decades later, Theresa Goell (Fig. 3) worked continuously on the mountain, under difficult conditions to document inscriptions, statuary, and the structure of the tumulus. Her work was eventually published in several volumes. Later campaigns, including those led by the University of Amsterdam in the early 2000s, introduced laser scanning and digital documentation. UNESCO recognition followed in 1987.
Fig. 4: Different reliefs and statues
The interpretation of the meaning of the Lion’s Horoscope is based on the several celestial bodies marked down on the relief. The nineteen stars correspond to the constellation Leo, while the three labelled planets must appear together within that constellation, accompanied by a new moon. Astronomical calculations suggest that this configuration occurred only once within the relevant period, on 14 July 109 BCE, shortly after sunset when observed from the summit, shown on Fig. 5. This date has been interpreted as marking the coronation of Antiochus I, or possibly that of his father.
Fig. 5: The relief and the astronomical interpretations
The decision to recolour the plaster cast in Amsterdam was conducted in 2015 and was based partially on pigment traces in the inscriptions (Fig. 6). The result is quite vibrant. But is also raises some questions. The relief now stands alone, detached from the statues, terraces, and sky that once gave it context and meaning. Its placement near the exit, separated by curtains, reinforces this isolation. Fig. 6 documents the colouring process and the finished cast. In the episode, possible alternatives are discussed. Drawings, light projections, or spatial cues could reconnect the object.
Fig. 6: The coloured relief and plaster cast in the Allard Pierson museum
Further References
* CIMRM 31 n.d. The Lion Horoscope of Mount Nemrud. Available at: https://mithras.tertullian.org/display.php?page=cimrm31 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* CRIJNS, M. 2022. The discovery of the colossal coronation horoscope of Antiochus I, King of Commagene on Mt. Nemrud. BABESCH 97: 563-599. https://doi.org/10.2143/BAB.97.0.3290534 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* GOELL, T.B. 1996. Nemrud Dağı: the hierothesion of Antiochus I of Commagene. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns. Available at: https://archive.org/details/nemruddahierothe0001unse (accessed 7 January 2026)
* GÜNEY, A.Ö. 2008. An iconological study on the Lion Horoscope Relief of Nemrut Dag Hierothesion. Report. Available at: http://nemrut.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/oldwebsite/d/yayin/2008%20GUNEY%20ONGU%20An%20Iconological%20Study%20on%20the%20Lion%20Horoscope%20Relief%20of%20Nemrut%20Dag%20Hierothesion.pdf (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Makedonia-Alexandros. 2014. The Lion Horoscope of Mount Nemrud. Megas Alexandros (blog), 28 March. Available at: https://makedonia-alexandros.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-lion-horoscope-of-mount-nemrud_28.html (accessed 7 January 2026)
* UNESCO World Heritage Centre n.d. Nemrut Dağ (Hierothesion of Antiochus I of Commagene). Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/448 (accessed 7 January 2026)
Image references
Fig. 1
* View of Mount Nemrut showing summit and tumulus. Source: National Geographic, Mount Nemrut Dağ: Wonder of the Ancient World. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mount-nemrut-dag-wonder-of-the-ancient-world (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Photograph showing summit terraces and surrounding landscape. Source: Beyond Wild Places, How to Explore Mt Nemrut and Şanlıurfa in Turkey. https://beyondwildplaces.com/how-to-explore-mt-nemrut-and-sanliurfa-in-turkey/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* View towards Mount Nemrut, situating the sanctuary within topography. Source: Acar54, CC BY-SA 4.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42042268 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Schematic site map of terraces and tumulus. Source: Turkish Archaeology News. https://turkisharchaeonews.net/site/mount-nemrut (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 2
* Historic reconstruction of the sanctuary with terraces and seated statues. Source: National Geographic, Mount Nemrut Dağ: Wonder of the Ancient World. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mount-nemrut-dag-wonder-of-the-ancient-world (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Video frame from 3D animation circling the summit. Source: YouTube (accessed 7 January 2026):
* Artistic reconstruction imagining ritual activity. Source: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=141688606 (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 3
* Otto Puchstein. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5029848 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Theresa Goell. Source: Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. https://hmsc.harvard.edu/online-exhibits/the-groundbreaker/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Book cover: Nemrud Dağı: The Hierothesion of Antiochus I of Commagene. Source: Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/nemruddahierothe0001unse (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 4
* Colossal statue fragments from east and west terraces. Source: Turkish Archaeology News. https://turkisharchaeonews.net/site/mount-nemrut (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Relief of an Achaemenid king with Persian attire and Phrygian cap. Source: National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mount-nemrut-dag-wonder-of-the-ancient-world (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Narrative relief fragments showing human and divine figures. Source: Peretz Partensky, CC BY-SA 2.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24570712 (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 5
* Documentation of the relief in situ during discovery. Source: Güney, 2008. http://nemrut.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/oldwebsite/d/yayin/2008%20GUNEY%20ONGU%20An%20Iconological%20Study%20on%20the%20Lion%20Horoscope%20Relief%20of%20Nemrut%20Dag%20Hierothesion.pdf (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Iconographic detail showing stars, planets, and Leo constellation. Source: CIMRM 31. https://mithras.tertullian.org/display.php?page=cimrm31 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Animation of proposed stellar alignment (astronomical reconstruction). Source: Nemrud.nl. http://nemrud.nl/index.php/tourist-information/lion-horoscope/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Archived Turkish version of alignment animation. Source: Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20251005155934/http://nemrud.nl/index.php/tourist-information/lion-horoscope/?lang=tr (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 6
* Recoloured plaster cast approximating original pigment traces. Source: Mainzer Beobachter. https://mainzerbeobachter.com/2023/05/30/het-koninkrijk-kommagene/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Digital animation showing coloured relief under lighting. Source: YouTube (accessed 7 January 2026):
* Video documenting the painting process and interview with the artist. Source: YouTube (accessed 7 January 2026):
Credits
* Intro and outro music: “Meeting for Two – Background Music for Video Vlog (Hip Hop version, 43s)” via Pixabay Music by White_Records
* Research behind the script: Jona Schlegel
* Editing and post-production: Jona Schlegel
Things We Threw Away – Where to Find the Podcast
* TWTA on Substack – Updates, transcripts, and reflections from the project
* TWTA on Spotify – Listen and follow via Spotify
* TWTA on Apple Podcasts – Available through the Apple Podcasts directory
* TWTA on Instagram – Visual updates, behind the scenes, and illustrated content
* TWTA on Bluesky – Public discussions, reflections, and cross-links
Projects by the team members
Jona Schlegel
* Follow on Instagram (@archaeoink): Visual science communication through illustration, websites and archaeology
* jonaschlegel.com: Portfolio and background on archaeological communication, coding, and design
* archaeoink.com: Illustrated archaeology, blog posts, newsletter, and research-based visual storytelling
* pastforwardhub.com: A platform for (freelance) archaeologists who want to create a more sustainable career, be visible, and connect with others
Stefanie Ulrich
* Follow on Instagram (@thepublicarchaeologist): Photography of archaeological objects, and material encounters with a special focus on ancient Rom
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thingswethrewaway.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Things We Threw AwayThis episode of Things We Threw Away focusses on the plaster cast in the Allard Pierson museum of the Lion’s Horoscope relief from the Mount Nemrut (Turkey), see FIg. 1. The relief once formed part of the hierothesion, the tomb sanctuary of King Antiochus I of Commagene. The episode moves between the original landscape of the monument and the copy in a museum setting.
Fig. 1: Showing the location
The starting point is not the mountain itself, but a plaster cast. It is located at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam, and is a coloured replica of the Lion’s Horoscope, which stands near the exit kind of behind a curtain. The lion is large, with an open mouth, exposed tongue, and showing musculature. The recolouring gives it yellow and red tones against a blue background, which makes it quite present and visible in its own way. Across the lion’s body are nineteen eight-pointed stars, while a crescent moon sits beneath the head like a collar or necklace. Above the lion’s back, three larger stars are labelled in Greek as Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter. Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, is placed close to the chest. See for that Fig. 5 and 6.
Fig. 2: Reconstructions
With more than two thousand metres high and located in south-eastern Turkey, the tomb sanctuary is remote and exposed to the weather. At its centre stands an artificial tumulus, roughly fifty metres high, with terraces in the east and west, see FIg. 2. These terraces once carried colossal seated statues of gods and of Antiochus I himself, all carved from limestone. Zeus-Oromasdes, Apollo-Mithras-Helios-Hermes, and Herakles-Artagnes-Ares sit alongside the king at equal height, see Fig. 4.
Fig. 3: Portraits of Otto Puchstein and Theresa Goell
Karl Sester first reported the site in 1881 while surveying roads for the Ottoman administration. Soon after, Karl Humann and Otto Puchstein (Fig. 3) carried out systematic documentation, recognising the astronomical character of the lion relief and producing an early plaster cast, of the one from the western terrace not its sibling from the eastern terrace. Decades later, Theresa Goell (Fig. 3) worked continuously on the mountain, under difficult conditions to document inscriptions, statuary, and the structure of the tumulus. Her work was eventually published in several volumes. Later campaigns, including those led by the University of Amsterdam in the early 2000s, introduced laser scanning and digital documentation. UNESCO recognition followed in 1987.
Fig. 4: Different reliefs and statues
The interpretation of the meaning of the Lion’s Horoscope is based on the several celestial bodies marked down on the relief. The nineteen stars correspond to the constellation Leo, while the three labelled planets must appear together within that constellation, accompanied by a new moon. Astronomical calculations suggest that this configuration occurred only once within the relevant period, on 14 July 109 BCE, shortly after sunset when observed from the summit, shown on Fig. 5. This date has been interpreted as marking the coronation of Antiochus I, or possibly that of his father.
Fig. 5: The relief and the astronomical interpretations
The decision to recolour the plaster cast in Amsterdam was conducted in 2015 and was based partially on pigment traces in the inscriptions (Fig. 6). The result is quite vibrant. But is also raises some questions. The relief now stands alone, detached from the statues, terraces, and sky that once gave it context and meaning. Its placement near the exit, separated by curtains, reinforces this isolation. Fig. 6 documents the colouring process and the finished cast. In the episode, possible alternatives are discussed. Drawings, light projections, or spatial cues could reconnect the object.
Fig. 6: The coloured relief and plaster cast in the Allard Pierson museum
Further References
* CIMRM 31 n.d. The Lion Horoscope of Mount Nemrud. Available at: https://mithras.tertullian.org/display.php?page=cimrm31 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* CRIJNS, M. 2022. The discovery of the colossal coronation horoscope of Antiochus I, King of Commagene on Mt. Nemrud. BABESCH 97: 563-599. https://doi.org/10.2143/BAB.97.0.3290534 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* GOELL, T.B. 1996. Nemrud Dağı: the hierothesion of Antiochus I of Commagene. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns. Available at: https://archive.org/details/nemruddahierothe0001unse (accessed 7 January 2026)
* GÜNEY, A.Ö. 2008. An iconological study on the Lion Horoscope Relief of Nemrut Dag Hierothesion. Report. Available at: http://nemrut.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/oldwebsite/d/yayin/2008%20GUNEY%20ONGU%20An%20Iconological%20Study%20on%20the%20Lion%20Horoscope%20Relief%20of%20Nemrut%20Dag%20Hierothesion.pdf (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Makedonia-Alexandros. 2014. The Lion Horoscope of Mount Nemrud. Megas Alexandros (blog), 28 March. Available at: https://makedonia-alexandros.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-lion-horoscope-of-mount-nemrud_28.html (accessed 7 January 2026)
* UNESCO World Heritage Centre n.d. Nemrut Dağ (Hierothesion of Antiochus I of Commagene). Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/448 (accessed 7 January 2026)
Image references
Fig. 1
* View of Mount Nemrut showing summit and tumulus. Source: National Geographic, Mount Nemrut Dağ: Wonder of the Ancient World. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mount-nemrut-dag-wonder-of-the-ancient-world (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Photograph showing summit terraces and surrounding landscape. Source: Beyond Wild Places, How to Explore Mt Nemrut and Şanlıurfa in Turkey. https://beyondwildplaces.com/how-to-explore-mt-nemrut-and-sanliurfa-in-turkey/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* View towards Mount Nemrut, situating the sanctuary within topography. Source: Acar54, CC BY-SA 4.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42042268 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Schematic site map of terraces and tumulus. Source: Turkish Archaeology News. https://turkisharchaeonews.net/site/mount-nemrut (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 2
* Historic reconstruction of the sanctuary with terraces and seated statues. Source: National Geographic, Mount Nemrut Dağ: Wonder of the Ancient World. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mount-nemrut-dag-wonder-of-the-ancient-world (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Video frame from 3D animation circling the summit. Source: YouTube (accessed 7 January 2026):
* Artistic reconstruction imagining ritual activity. Source: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=141688606 (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 3
* Otto Puchstein. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5029848 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Theresa Goell. Source: Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. https://hmsc.harvard.edu/online-exhibits/the-groundbreaker/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Book cover: Nemrud Dağı: The Hierothesion of Antiochus I of Commagene. Source: Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/nemruddahierothe0001unse (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 4
* Colossal statue fragments from east and west terraces. Source: Turkish Archaeology News. https://turkisharchaeonews.net/site/mount-nemrut (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Relief of an Achaemenid king with Persian attire and Phrygian cap. Source: National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/mount-nemrut-dag-wonder-of-the-ancient-world (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Narrative relief fragments showing human and divine figures. Source: Peretz Partensky, CC BY-SA 2.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24570712 (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 5
* Documentation of the relief in situ during discovery. Source: Güney, 2008. http://nemrut.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/oldwebsite/d/yayin/2008%20GUNEY%20ONGU%20An%20Iconological%20Study%20on%20the%20Lion%20Horoscope%20Relief%20of%20Nemrut%20Dag%20Hierothesion.pdf (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Iconographic detail showing stars, planets, and Leo constellation. Source: CIMRM 31. https://mithras.tertullian.org/display.php?page=cimrm31 (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Animation of proposed stellar alignment (astronomical reconstruction). Source: Nemrud.nl. http://nemrud.nl/index.php/tourist-information/lion-horoscope/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Archived Turkish version of alignment animation. Source: Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20251005155934/http://nemrud.nl/index.php/tourist-information/lion-horoscope/?lang=tr (accessed 7 January 2026)
Fig. 6
* Recoloured plaster cast approximating original pigment traces. Source: Mainzer Beobachter. https://mainzerbeobachter.com/2023/05/30/het-koninkrijk-kommagene/ (accessed 7 January 2026)
* Digital animation showing coloured relief under lighting. Source: YouTube (accessed 7 January 2026):
* Video documenting the painting process and interview with the artist. Source: YouTube (accessed 7 January 2026):
Credits
* Intro and outro music: “Meeting for Two – Background Music for Video Vlog (Hip Hop version, 43s)” via Pixabay Music by White_Records
* Research behind the script: Jona Schlegel
* Editing and post-production: Jona Schlegel
Things We Threw Away – Where to Find the Podcast
* TWTA on Substack – Updates, transcripts, and reflections from the project
* TWTA on Spotify – Listen and follow via Spotify
* TWTA on Apple Podcasts – Available through the Apple Podcasts directory
* TWTA on Instagram – Visual updates, behind the scenes, and illustrated content
* TWTA on Bluesky – Public discussions, reflections, and cross-links
Projects by the team members
Jona Schlegel
* Follow on Instagram (@archaeoink): Visual science communication through illustration, websites and archaeology
* jonaschlegel.com: Portfolio and background on archaeological communication, coding, and design
* archaeoink.com: Illustrated archaeology, blog posts, newsletter, and research-based visual storytelling
* pastforwardhub.com: A platform for (freelance) archaeologists who want to create a more sustainable career, be visible, and connect with others
Stefanie Ulrich
* Follow on Instagram (@thepublicarchaeologist): Photography of archaeological objects, and material encounters with a special focus on ancient Rom
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thingswethrewaway.substack.com/subscribe