Dera Limene Kulambira Koona ndi Chikunja Zinalimbana

KWA zaka zoposa 100, akatswiri ofufuza za m’mabwinja akhala akufufuza kwambiri m’mabwinja a ku Efeso wakale, amene ali kugombe la kumadzulo kwa dziko la Turkey. Nyumba zakale zingapo zogumuka anazimanganso, ndipo asayansi afufuza komanso amvetsa bwino zinthu zambirimbiri zimene zapezeka m’mabwinjawa. Motero, derali ndi limodzi mwa madera amene alendo ambiri okaona malo amapitako m’dziko la Turkey.

Kodi kumeneku anapezako zinthu zotani? Kodi mzinda wakale wochititsa chidwiwu apeza kuti unali wotani? Kuti timvetse mmene kulambira koona ndiponso chikunja zinalimbanirana ku Efeso, tiyeni tipite ku mabwinja a ku Efesowa ndiponso kunyumba yosungiramo zinthu zakale zochititsa chidwi yotchedwa Ephesus Museum yomwe ili mu mzinda wa Vienna, ku Austria. Koma poyamba, tiyeni tinenepo kaye za mbiri ya derali.

Dera Lokhumbirika

M’zaka za m’ma 1000 B.C.E., ku Ulaya ndi ku Asia kunali nkhondo zambiri ndipo anthu ochuluka anali kusamukira m’madera ena. Nthawiyi ndi imene Agiriki a ku Ionia anayamba kulamulira madera a m’chigawo cha kumadzulo kwa gombe la Asiyamina. Anthuwa anakhazikika m’maderawa panthawiyo ndipo kumeneku anapezako anthu olambira mulungu mayi, amene pambuyo pake anadzatchedwa kuti Artemi wa Aefeso.

Cha m’ma 650 B.C.E., anthu okonda kusamukasamuka a ku Cimmeria anachoka ku Black Sea chakumpoto kwa derali pofuna kukalanda dera la Asiyamina. Kenaka m’ma 550 B.C.E., panabwera Mfumu Kolosase ya ku Lidiya, yomwe inali mfumu yoopeka ndiponso yotchuka chifukwa cha chuma chake chosaneneka. Chifukwa chofuna kukulitsa Ufumu wa Aperesi, Mfumu Koresi inalanda mizinda ya ku Ionia, kuphatikizapo Efeso.

M’chaka cha 334 B.C.E., Alesandro wa ku Makedoniya anayamba kuchita nkhondo ndi Perisiya, motero pamapeto pake anayamba kulamulira Efeso. Alesandro atamwalira mosayembekezereka m’chaka cha 323 B.C.E., akazembe ake ankhondo anayamba kukanganirana madera a ufumu wake kuphatikizapo Efeso. Motero m’chaka cha 133 B.C.E., mfumu ya ku Pergamo, Atalasi Wachitatu, yemwe analibe mwana, anapereka Efeso kwa Aroma mosachita kukakamizidwa, motero Efeso anasanduka mbali ya chigawo cha Aroma cha ku Asia.

Kulambira Koona ndi Chikunja Zilimbana

Pamene mtumwi Paulo ankafika ku Efeso chakumapeto kwa ulendo wake wachiwiri waumishonale m’zaka 100 zoyambirira, mzindawu unali ndi anthu pafupifupi 300,000. (Machitidwe 18:19-21) Paulendo wake wachitatu waumishonale, Paulo anabwereranso ku Efeso ndipo ankapita m’sunagoge n’kumakakamba nkhani za Ufumu wa Mulungu mosapsatira mawu. Komabe patatha miyezi itatu, Ayuda analimbana naye kwambiri moti anangoganiza zomakambira nkhani zake za tsiku ndi tsiku m’holo inayake pa sukulu yotchedwa Turano. (Machitidwe 19:1, 8, 9) Iye anapitirizabe kulalikira kwa zaka ziwiri, ndipo analinso kuchita zinthu zozizwitsa, monga kuchiritsa anthu ndiponso kuchotsa ziwanda. (Machitidwe 19:10-17) M’pake kuti anthu ambiri anakhala okhulupirira. Inde, mawu a Yehova anafika ponseponse, motero anthu ambiri amene poyamba ankachita zamatsenga anaotcha mabuku awo amtengo wapatali mwa kufuna kwawo.​—Machitidwe 19:19, 20.

Ulaliki wa Paulo unathandiza kuti anthu ambiri asiye kulambira Artemi komanso unakwiyitsa kwambiri anthu olimbikitsa kulambira kwachikunjaku. Ntchito yopanga akachisi a siliva a Artemi inali ya ndalama kwabasi. Motero, munthu wina wotchedwa Demetriyo ataona kuti ntchito imene amapezera ndalama ingathe kusokonezeka, anakusa anthu osula siliva kuti achite zachipolowe.​—Machitidwe 19:23-32.

Zinthu zinaipa kwambiri n’kufika poti chikhamu cha anthucho chinatha maola awiri chikunena mokuwa kuti: “Wamkulu ndi Artemi wa Aefeso.” (Machitidwe 19:34) Chipwirikitichi chitazilala, Paulo analimbikitsanso Akristu anzake ndipo kenaka anapitiriza ulendo wake. (Machitidwe 20:1) Komabe, ngakhale kuti iye anachoka n’kupita ku Makedoniya, chipembedzo cha Artemi chija chinapitirirabe kugwa.

Kachisi wa Artemi Ayamba Kugwedezeka

Kulambira Artemi kunali kutakhazikika kwambiri mu Efeso. Mfumu Kolosase isanayambe kulamulira, mulungu mayi dzina lake Cybele ndiye anali mulungu wolambiridwa kwambiri m’deralo. Pofuna kuti mulunguyu azivomerezedwa ndi Agiriki komanso anthu amene si Agiriki, Kolosase ankauza anthu kuti pali ubale pakati pa mulunguyu ndi milungu ya Agiriki. Kolosase anathandiza kuti ntchito yomanga kachisi wa Artemi, yemwe analowa m’malo mwa Cybele, iyambike m’zaka za m’ma 550 B.C.E.

Kachisiyu ndiye panagona luso lalikulu kwambiri la Agiriki pankhani ya zomangamanga. M’mbuyo monsemo panalibe nyumba iliyonse yamtundu umenewu ndiponso yaikulu motere imene inamangidwapo ndi miyala yaikulu choncho ya nsangalabwi. Kachisiyu anapsa mu 356 B.C.E., komano anadzamumanganso bwinobwino. Anthu ambiri ankagwira ntchito pakachisiyu yemwenso ankakopa alendo ambiri odzapembedza. Maziko a kachisi amene anamangansoyu anali aakulu mamita 73 m’lifupi komanso mamita 127 m’litali, ndipo anali wamkulu mamita pafupifupi 50 m’lifupi komanso mamita 105 m’litali. Kachisiyu anali m’gulu la zinthu zisanu ndi ziwiri zodabwitsa kwambiri za m’nthawi yakale. Komabe, si onse amene ankasangalala naye. Munthu wina wanzeru dzina lake Heracleitus wa ku Efeso anayerekezera njira yamdima yolowera kumene kunali guwa lansembe ndi khalidwe loipa, ndipo ananena kuti khalidwe la anthu m’kachisimo linali loipa kuposa la zinyama. Komabe kwa anthu ambiri kachisi wa ku Efesoyu, yemwe munkakhala Artemi, sankaoneka kuti angadzagwe ayi. Koma umu si mmene zinthu zinadzakhalira. Buku lakuti Ephesos​—Der neue Führer (Buku Latsopano Lonena za Efeso) linati: “Pofika zaka za m’ma 100 C.E., kulambira Artemi ndiponso milungu ina yotchuka m’derali kunalowa pansi.”

M’zaka za m’ma 200 C.E., ku Efeso kunachitika chivomezi chachikulu kwambiri. Komanso chuma chadzaoneni cha m’kachisi wa Artemi chinalandidwa ndi amalinyero amtundu wotchedwa Goth ochokera ku Black Sea, ndipo atalanda chumacho, anaotcha kachisiyo. Buku limene tangolitchulali linatinso: “Pamenepa Artemi anagonjetsedwa ndipo analephera kuteteza malo ake enieniwo, motero kodi anthu akanapitirizabe kukhulupirira kuti mulunguyu ndiye mtetezi wa mzindawo?”​—Salmo 135:15-18.

Motero, chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 300, Mfumu Tedosiyasi Woyamba inakhazikitsa “Chikristu” kuti chikhale chipembedzo cha dzikolo. Posakhalitsa bwinja la miyala ya kachisi wa Artemi woopedwa uja linasanduka malo otengako miyala yomangira nyumba. Kulambira Artemi kunasanduka kwachabechabe. Munthu wina atapita kumeneku, ananena izi ataona ndakatulo inayake yotama kachisiyu: “Panopa panasanduka pabwinja posambuka mapeto.”

Kusiya Kulambira Artemi N’kuyamba Kulambira “Mayi wa Mulungu”

Paulo anachenjeza amuna akulu a mpingo wa ku Efeso kuti iyeyo akadzachoka kudzabwera “mimbulu yosautsa” ndipo pakati pawo padzapezeka anthu “olankhula zokhotakhota.” (Machitidwe 20:17, 29, 30) Zimenezi n’zimene zinadzachitikadi. Zochitika za m’mbiri zimasonyeza kuti Akristu opanduka anachititsa kuti kulambira konyenga kukule kwambiri ku Efeso.

M’chaka cha 431 C.E., ku Efeso n’kumene kunachitikira msonkhano wachitatu wa matchalitchi osiyanasiyana achikristu, ndipo pamsonkhanowu anakambirana za nkhani yakuti Yesu ndi munthu wotani. Buku la Ephesos​—Der neue Führer linalongosola kuti: “Maganizo a Aalesandreyo, omwe ankati Yesu anali munthu wangati Mulungu basi, . . . ndi amene anakula pamakambitsiranowo.” Zimenezi zinafika patali. “Zimene anagwirizana ku Efesoko, zomwe zinachititsa kuti Mariya asakhale amene anabala Kristu koma kuti akhale amene anabala Mulungu, zinachititsa kuti anthu ayambe kulambira Mariya komanso zinachititsa kuti pakhale kugawikana koyamba kwakukulu kwambiri m’chalitchicho. . . . Mpaka panopo anthu sagwirizana chimodzi pankhaniyi.”

Motero, anthuwo anasiya kulambira Cybele ndiponso Artemi n’kuyamba kulambira Mariya “amene anabala Mulungu” kapena kuti “mayi a mulungu.” Bukuli linati, “ku Efeso anthu amalambirabe Mariya . . . mpaka panopo, ndipo chifukwa chake n’chimodzi chokha basi, chakuti zinachokera pa kulambira Artemi.”

Anthu Anasiya Kalekale Kulambira Mulunguyu

Kulambira Artemi kutazilala, mzinda wa Efeso nawonso unagwa. Kukhala mumzindawu kunali kovutanso kwambiri chifukwa cha zivomezi, matenda a malungo, ndiponso kuchulukana kwa mchenga pa gombe lake.

Pofika zaka za m’ma 600 C.E., Chisilamu chinali chitayamba kufalikira kwambiri. Chisilamuchi sichinali kungofuna kugwirizanitsa Aluya okha ayi. Kungoyambira m’ma 600 mpaka m’ma 700 C.E., magulu a sitima za nkhondo za Aluya anafika ku Efeso kambirimbiri n’kulanda chuma chake. Mzinda wa Efeso unatheratu pamene gombe lake linatsekekeratu ndi mchenga, motero mzindawo unangosanduka bwinja lachabechabe. Chimene chinatsalako mumzinda umene poyamba unali wokongola mwadzaoneniwu, ndi kamudzi kakang’ono kotchedwa Aya Soluk (masiku ano amakatcha kuti Selçuk).

Kuyenda M’mabwinja a Efeso

Kuti munthu akhale ndi chithunzithunzi cha ulemerero umene Efeso anali nawo kale, ndi bwino kupita kukaona mabwinja ake. Mukalowera khomo la chakumtunda pokaona mzindawu, mumatha kuona bwinobwino monse mmene msewu wotchedwa Curetes umadutsa mpaka kukafika kumunsi kumene kunali laibulale ya Celsus. Mukayang’ana kumanja kwa msewuwu, mungachite chidwi ndi nyumba yochitiramo zisudzo imene inamangidwa m’zaka za m’ma 100 C.E. Nyumbayi munkatha kukhala anthu pafupifupi 1,500 ndipo n’kutheka kuti sikuti ankangochitiramo misonkhano ya akuakulu a mumzindawo komanso ankachitiramo masewera osangalatsa. M’mbali zonse ziwiri za msewu wa Curetes muli nyumba, monga nyumba yaboma yochitiramo misonkhano, ndiponso kachisi wa Adiriya, zitsime zomwe aliyense ankagwiritsa ntchito, ndiponso nyumba zomangidwa m’mphepete mwa phiri, zomwe munkakhala anthu aulemerero a ku Efeso.

Mungagome kwambiri poona laibulale yochitititsa kaso ya Celsus, chifukwa n’njokongola mwadzaoneni. Laibulaleyi inamangidwa m’zaka za m’ma 100 C.E. Mipukutu yambirimbiri m’laibulaleyi ankaisunga m’timabowo tozokotedwa tomwe tinali m’makoma a chipinda chachikulu chowerengeramo. Ziboliboli zinayi zimene zili kumaso kwa nyumbayi zinkasonyeza makhalidwe amene bwana wamkulu wa Aroma monga Celsus, ankafunika kukhala nawo. Ziboliboli zake ndi za Sophia (kusonyeza nzeru), Arete (khalidwe labwino), Ennoia (kudzipereka), ndiponso Episteme (kudziwa zinthu kapena kuzindikira). Ziboliboli zoyambirira zenizenizo mungakazione ku nyumba yosungiramo zinthu zakale zochititsa chidwi ya Ephesus Museum ku Vienna. Kubwalo la kumaso kwa laibulaleyi kuli chikhomo chachikulu chomwe mukalowapo mumakafika ku msika waukulu wa Tetragonos. Anthu ankachita ntchito za tsiku ndi tsiku pa malo aakuluwa, omwe m’mbali mwake monse munali timisewu tokhala ndi madenga.

Kenaka mumafika pa msewu wotchedwa Marble, womwe umakafika ku bwalo lalikulu la zisudzo. Atalikulitsa komaliza panthawi ya ufumu wa Roma, bwaloli munkatha kulowa anthu pafupifupi 25,000. Kumaso kwake anakukongoletsa kwambiri ndi mizati, ziboliboli zozokota pakhoma, ndiponso zifanizo. Tangoganizani mmene zinalili pamene Demetriyo wosula siliva anayambitsa chipwirikiti pakati pa chikhamu cha anthu chimene chinali pamenepa.

Msewu umene umachokera ku bwalo lalikulu la zisudzo lija mpaka kukafika ku gombe la mzindawu n’ngokongola zedi. N’ngwautali mamita 500 ndipo ndi waukulu mamita 11, komanso m’mbali zake zonse ziwiri uli ndi mizati. Nyumba ziwiri zochitiramo masewera olimbitsa thupi, ya m’bwalo la zisudzo komanso ya ku gombe, zinamangidwa m’mphepete mwa msewu umenewu. Chipata chokongola mochititsa kaso chimene chili kumapeto kwa msewuwu tingati chinali chipata chotulukira m’dzikolo, ndipo tikafika pamenepa ndiye kuti tamaliza ulendo wathu wa kanthawi kochepawu wokaona ena mwa mabwinja ochititsa chidwi kwambiri padziko lonse. Nyumba yosungiramo zinthu zakale zochititsa chidwi za ku Efeso yomwe ili ku Vienna ili ndi chosema chosonyeza mzinda wakale umenewu ndiponso ili ndi zipilala zachikumbutso zambiri za mzindawu.

Mukamayenda m’nyumba yosungiramo zinthu zakaleyi, n’kuona chifanizo cha Artemi wa Aefeso, simungalephere kuganizira za mmene Akristu oyambirira ankapiririra ku Efeso. Iwo ankakhala mumzinda wodzazana ndi anthu okhulupirira mizimu ndiponso osafuna anthu a chipembedzo china. Anthu olambira Artemi analimbana nawo kwambiri uthenga wa Ufumu. (Machitidwe 19:19; Aefeso 6:12; Chivumbulutso 2:1-3) Koma ngakhale panali mavuto oterewa, kulambira koona kunakhazikikabe. Kulambira Mulungu woona kumeneku kudzapambananso nthawi imene kulambira konyenga kumene kulipo masiku ano kudzathe, monga mmene kulambira Artemi kunathera kalelo.​—Chivumbulutso 18:4-8.

[Mapu/​Chithunzi patsamba 26]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

MAKEDONIYA

Nyanja ya Black Sea

ASIYAMINA

EFESO

Nyanja ya Mediterranean

AIGUPTO

[Chithunzi patsamba 27]

Mabwinja a kachisi wa Artemi

[Zithunzi pamasamba 28, 29]

1. Laibulale ya Celsus

2. Arete, mmene amaonekera pafupi

3. Msewu wotchedwa Marble, wopita ku bwalo lalikulu la zisudzo