The stone heads of Nemrut Dagh face another dawn
Nemrut Dagh …a mountain top in Eastern Turkey
The first time I saw a photo of the stone heads of Nemrut Dagh, I longed to go there to see them for myself. That was about 20 years ago when a visitor could clamber all over the site once he had arrived. Dagh means mountain and the heads are on the top of the 7000 ft high mountain.
When I did finally get to Nemrut Dagh, a couple of years ago, it was easy to get to the top, although we did have to walk about a mile from a warming hut where the van dropped us off. The pre-dawn night was icy cold though it was June. A sharp wind was blowing.. As usual, I didn’t bring a warm jacket and had to wrap a shawl under my husband’s jacket that he was kind enough to let me wear. (He was asleep in our cozy hotel room at the time, BTW) I was freezing as I hiked up the uneven stone path.
We got to the top before sunrise and soon there were about 50 people with cameras slung around their necks, milling about, waiting for the magic moment when the sun’s rays would strike the ancient stone figures. The heads were no longer scattered about the mountain top. The Turkish park service had placed them in a row in front of their stone thrones. And all was behind a chain that prevented us from getting too close and getting the shot we might have preferred.
We had to watch out for each other…trying not to get someone’s elbow or camera lens in our shot. The sun rose and lit the mountain top which happened to be facing east…flat light and jostling photographers. It was a challenge. And I’m not sure I met the challenge.
I think it is a good idea to do some homework before you go to a once in a lifetime place. Check out the images on the internet. Go to school on what the top photographers have done. Read their blogs, maybe they will let some secrets slip! I wish I’d done that.