Pepouza and Tymion : The Discovery and Archaeological Exploration of a Lost Ancient City and an Imperial Estate

Early Christianity varied in appearance as much as the geography and terrain of the ancient Middle East. Often 'variety' became pitted against 'orthodoxy.' Montanism, or the New Prophecy, was founded by a Phrygian named Montanus along with two ecstatic prophetesses, Maximilla and Priscilla. Even the North African Church Father Tertullian was a supporter of the New Prophecy movement. The Montanist variety of Christianity, however, soon fell into disfavor by those later deemed 'orthodox,' also because women played an influential role in this movement. Today we know about Montanism only partially and that mainly from the writings of its Christian rivals. One tenet of Montanism was the belief that the New Jerusalem would descend from heaven at a remote location in Phrygia near Tymion and Pepouza, Montanism's most holy city. In 2000, an international team of archaeologists and historians discovered in the Ulubey Canyon the centuries-lost site of Pepouza as well as an inscription mentioning Tymion. The discovery team was led by William Tabbernee (Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa, USA). Peter Lampe (University of Heidelberg, Germany) designed and directed the archaeological field campaigns held in the following years, in the course of which Tymion (at SÃ1⁄4kraniye) and other settlements were discovered. Compelling archaeological, epigraphic, and historical evidence is recorded in this extraordinary volume. The chapters are in English, German, and Turkish and contain illustrations, maps, photographs, an extensive bibliography, and an index. Early Christianity varied in appearance as much as the geography and terrain of the ancient Middle East. Often'variety'became pitted against'orthodoxy.'Montanism, or the New Prophecy, was founded by a Phrygian named Montanus along with two ecstatic prophetesses, Maximilla and Priscilla. Even the North African Church Father Tertullian was a supporter of the New Prophecy movement. The Montanist variety of Christianity, however, soon fell into disfavor by those later deemed'orthodox', also because women played an influential role in this movement. Today we know about Montanism only partially and that mainly from the writings of its Christian rivals. One tenet of Montanism was the belief that the New Jerusalem would descend from heaven at a remote location in Phrygia near Tymion and Pepouza, Montanism's most holy city. In 2000, an international team of archaeologists and historians discovered in the Ulubey Canyon the centuries-lost site of Pepouza as well as an inscription mentioning Tymion. The discovery team was led by William Tabbernee (Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa, USA). Peter Lampe (University of Heidelberg, Germany) designed and directed the archaeological field campaigns held in the following years, in the course of which Tymion (at Sükraniye) and other settlements were discovered. Compelling archaeological, epigraphic, and historical evidence is recorded in this extraordinary volume. The chapters are in English, German, and Turkish and contain illustrations, maps, photographs, an extensive bibliography, and an index. Frontmatter ......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 9 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 11 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 17 chapter one. INTRODUCTION......Page 21 chapter two. THE SEARCH FOR PEPOUZA......Page 35 chapter three. THE SEARCH FOR TYMION......Page 59 chapter four. THE DISCOVERY OF THE TYMION INSCRIPTION......Page 69 chapter five. THE DISCOVERY OF PEPOUZA......Page 105 chapter six. A GRAFFITO AT CILANDIRAS IN THE ULUBEY CANYON......Page 137 chapter seven. THE BYZANTINE GRAFFITO NEAR CILANDIRAS (7TH-8TH CENTURIES)......Page 139 chapter eight. METHODS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURFACE SURVEY......Page 153 chapter nine. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURFACE SURVEY IN 2001......Page 177 chapter ten. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURFACE SURVEY IN 2002......Page 195 chapter eleven. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURFACE SURVEY IN 2003......Page 217 chapter twelve. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURFACE SURVEY IN 2004......Page 265 Backmatter ......Page 287 This book tells the exciting story of the discovery in July 2000 of Pepouza, the most Holy City in the theology of Montanism, a prophetic sect of early Christianity, and an imperial estate on which Tymion was located. The discovery culminates three years of careful study and preliminary field work preceded by a further thirty years of Montanist research by William Tabbernee who led the discovery. This book also details the archaeological surface survey campaigns conducted from 2001 to 2004 at the sites. These campaigns, directed by original "team"--Member Peter Lampe, have already revealed a great deal of specific information concerning the ancient site of Pepouza and the imperial estate around Tymion