GuideTurco

August 19, 2026 · 3 min read

Understanding a Myth Carved into Rock: The Charon Relief in Hatay and Its Mythological Heritage

Turkey's lands are a unique synthesis that, besides hosting great civilizations that changed the world such as Rome, Byzantium, the Seljuks and the Ottomans, also welcomes countless cultures too many to name. As you walk through this ancient geography today, you can vividly see the traces left from centuries ago not only behind museum glass but also in the heart of mountains and in massive reliefs carved into rock. One of these mysterious stops is Hatay (Antakya), which throughout history has been the meeting point of East and West.
Understanding a Myth Carved into Rock: The Charon Relief in Hatay and Its Mythological Heritage

A Mythological Figure of the Afterlife: Charon (Kharon)

In the beliefs of Anatolia and the Eastern Mediterranean before Islam and Christianity, Greek mythology expressed the afterlife with clear symbols. One of the most well-known of these symbols is Charon (Kharon), the ferryman who carries souls across the River Styx (the river of death).

In Antakya, the massive Charon Relief (Hell’s Ferryman) located on the rocky slopes of Habib-i Neccar Mountain vividly brings this legend to life. Believed to have been carved into the rock during the Hellenistic period under Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the 3rd century BC to halt a great plague, this bust continues to keep silent watch over the valley with its imposing size.

The Orontes River and the Styx Legend

In mythological accounts, the River Styx that souls must cross to reach the afterlife and the Orontes River (Asi Nehri), which flows from the heart of Hatay into the Mediterranean, have long been seen as a captivating parallel. Located in a position that dominates the Orontes Valley, the Charon bust raises the question: Was that mystical river of legend, for ancient man, truly the Orontes flowing right at his doorstep?

Where Beliefs Intersect: St. Pierre and Charon

Right next to the Charon Relief lies another center that changed the course of human history: St. Pierre (Saint Peter) Church. Recognized as one of the oldest Christian places of worship and known in history as "the place where believers in Jesus were first called Christians," this cave church stands almost shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the Charon bust.

On one side lies the ferryman of ancient mythology; just below, the first footsteps of a heavenly faith...

Antakya, Hatay, and Anatolia as a whole have been a homeland to the earliest civilizations, myths, and religions, and today they remain one of the most sacred and rich heritages we proudly live with. These marks on the rocks continue to carry the voice of the past into the present.

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(to view the images and details of this huge relief hidden in Hatay's mountainous area)

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