The façade is 2.7 km southeast of Döğer town in the İhsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar. It is carved on one of the rock masses about 300 m from the road between Döğer and Üçlerkayası village. Another Phrygian monument, Aslankaya, is located on the same road, 1.3 km ahead in the Üçlerkayası direction.
Küçük Kapıkaya (Small Gaterock) monument was discovered in 1896 by F. von Reber. The façade is carved on the north side of the rock. Its rectangular niche contains a mother goddess relief. The monuments suffered serious damage on multiple occasions by treasure hunters using dynamite. The broken piece of the roof and façade lies right next to the monument. The façade wall was completely cracked due to explosions. It is one of the most obvious examples of the damage caused by embarrassingly ignorant minds.
The platform in front of the Küçük Kapıkaya façade is reached by three gradually expanding steps. Taking into account that the use of steps is one of the basic features of Phrygian altars, Tüfekçi-Sivas states that this monument combines the functions of both an altar and a façade. It is estimated to be from the Middle Phrygian II period (600-550 BCE) or later.
References:
Berndt-Ersöz, S. 2006. Phrygian Rock–Cut Shrines. Structure, Function and Cult Practice, Leiden.
Haspels, C. H. E. 1971. The Highlands of Phrygia. Sites and Monuments, Princeton.
Tüfekçi-Sivas, T. 1999. Eskişehir-Afyonkarahisar- Kütahya İl Sınırları İçindeki Phryg Kaya Anıtları, Anadolu Üniversitesi Yayınları No:1156, Eskişehir.
Image sources:
C. H. E. Haspels, 1971
Ben Claasz Coockson, 2006, 2017