The Column of Tears

One of the columns in the Basilica Cistern is easy to pick out thanks to the reliefs on its shaft. This column is known as the Column of Tears, or the Weeping Column. Its surface is covered with repeating round shapes and curving lines. Popular tradition has likened these decorations to tears. Researchers, however, describe the pattern as a stylized tree trunk. When we look at the column's history, we come across an interesting detail. The Basilica Cistern was built in the sixth century. The Column of Tears, however, is dated to around the fourth century. In other words, this stone is older than the structure it stands in. It is generally accepted that the column was taken from another building in the city and reused here when the cistern was built. But we don't know exactly where it came from. Over time, a legend also grew up around the column's name. According to popular tradition, the tear-like shapes represent the workers who lost their lives building the cistern. However, there is no historical record to confirm this story. What's more, the fact that the stone is older than the cistern suggests that these decorations were not originally made for such a purpose. The Column of Tears is a fine example of how real history and later stories can become intertwined. Elsewhere in the cistern, two reused stone works point to a far older mythological tale: Medusa.