ABSTRACT

From the Bronze Age onwards, summits of mountains in the East Mediterranean were sacred; many to the Greek sky-god Zeus – making a symbolic connection between the abstract sky and the physically highest point. In some cases, sacredness extends through to the Christian period, such as at Mount Kasios, which sits on the Syrian-Turkish border, and which is inaccessible for archaeological research. In this paper, we explore interactions with and representations of Mount Kasios by different groups at different times, and how these sources can help reconstruct ancient meanings and experiences of the mountain. Myth, archaeology, and landscape are mobilized to inform the construction and interrogation of two digital models in GIS and Virtual Reality (VR) designed to elicit a feeling of awe. Such ‘virtual phenomenology’ offers a means to explore a contested contemporary landscape, and to engage with ancient experiences and atmospheres of this holy mountain.

摘要

从青铜时代开始，东地中海的山峰是神圣的。对希腊天神宙斯来说，很多人都认为——在抽象的天空和物理最高点之间建立了象征性的联系。在某些情况下，神圣性一直延续到基督教时期，例如位于叙利亚和土耳其边境的卡西奥斯山，考古研究无法进入。在本文中，我们探讨了不同时期不同群体对卡西欧山的互动和表征，以及这些资料如何帮助重建这座山的古老意义和经验。神话、考古学和景观被动员起来，为 GIS 和虚拟现实 (VR) 中的两个数字模型的构建和询问提供信息，旨在引起敬畏感。