During archaeological excavations at Balatlar Church in Sinop, Turkey, a male skull inscribed with the Greek words “Pilgrim Dimitrakis” was discovered. This rare find, uncovered in the church’s ossuary section, is unprecedented in Turkey.
The excavation, led by Professor Gülgün Köroğlu from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, has revealed that the skull belonged to an Orthodox cleric who traveled to Jerusalem for pilgrimage. This conclusion was drawn after detailed examinations, including 3D tomography and paleopathological analysis conducted at Hitit University Erol Olcok Training and Research Hospital. These studies identified a tumor and various pathologies in the skull, including bone thinning.
Associate Professor Mustafa Tolga Çırak, Head of the Department of Anthropology at Hitit University said: “This is the first instance of such an inscribed skull being discovered in Anatolia.” While similar examples exist in Greece and Egypt, the discovery in Turkey is unprecedented. The inscription on the skull, “Pilgrim Dimitrakis,” indicates its owner’s status as a cleric who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Balatlar Church, also known as Sinop Koimesis Church, has a rich history. Originally constructed as a Roman Imperial bathhouse in the second century, it was converted into a church by the late 4th or early 5th century. The structure continued to serve as a church until the late 20th century and became an Orthodox burial site during the Ottoman period. Extensive burials were carried out in the church’s yard and interior, with the site becoming a prominent cemetery for the Orthodox community.
The practice of inscribing names on skulls and displaying them is part of ancient Orthodox burial traditions. “The tradition of writing on the skull was not found in Anatolia before this discovery,” Çırak stated. This practice, which dates back thousands of years, involves removing the skull from the body, inscribing it with the deceased’s name using a hard object, and then displaying it on a shelf within the church. This ritual is known as the skull cult.
The skull of “Pilgrim Dimitrakis” was determined to date back to the 19th century, supported by the presence of archaeological objects and coins found alongside it.
Professor Köroğlu’s team has been conducting comprehensive studies of the Byzantine period in Sinop since 2010, with Balatlar Church being a focal point due to its well-documented usage phases. The site is notable for its transformation from a Roman bath complex, comprising the Palaestra, Frigidarium, Tepidarium, Caldarium, and Laconicum, into a church.
“The historical building is known among the public more as a church than a bath,” Çırak explained. The structure was used during the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods, serving various purposes over the centuries.
