Turkish tile chimney with names of the Seven Sleepers in Arabic calligraphy. Museum label: "Tilework Chimneypiece, Turkey, probably Istanbul, dated 1731. The names around the hood are those of the Seven Sleepers. Persecuted under the Roman emperor Decius, these Christian men took refuge in a cave. They fell asleep, waking centuries later under Christian rule. The Seven Sleepers are mentioned in the Qur'an as an example of God's protection of the righteous...
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According to legend, seven Christian boys were locked in this cave by the Romans in c.250 AD, fell asleep, and woke up in the 5th century. It became a place of burial and pilgrimage.
Location map of Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Ephesus, Turkey. Click to enlarge.
Aerial view of Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Ephesus, Turkey. Click to enlarge.
