In that case, the open front and the niche in the back wall could suggest that one is dealing here with a kind of sacellum (or shrine) dedicated to the cult of Marcus Aurelius, to whom the whole complex was dedicated.    From Wordnik.com.  [Interactive Dig Sagalassos - Macellum Report 3] Reference

The front of room 1 (sacellum?) of the Macellum emerging from the soil.    From Wordnik.com.  [Interactive Dig Sagalassos - Macellum Report 3] Reference

This is the portal of its temple, through which alone we can gain access to the sacellum where its aporrheta are concealed.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Symbolism of Freemasonry] Reference

If there ever was a statue of the emperor on display in the complex it will either have stood in the central tholos or in a similar sacellum in the center of the north wing.    From Wordnik.com.  [Interactive Dig Sagalassos - Macellum Report 4] Reference

The still incompletely excavated "niche" in the central part of the back wall suggested an original use as a sacellum (shrine?), of which the later reconstruction still respected the original layout.    From Wordnik.com.  [Interactive Dig Sagalassos - Macellum Report 4] Reference

Also the material that has been picked out from the sieved residues seems to be very promising, especially in room 2 (a reused sacellum?, see Macellum, August 7-11, 2005) with its large amounts of fish and bird bones.    From Wordnik.com.  [Interactive Dig Sagalassos - Archaeozoology Report 2] Reference

The complete communication of the secrets in the ancient Mysteries, when the aspirant was admitted into the sacellum, or most sacred place, and was invested by the Hierophant with all the aporrheta, or sacred things, which constituted the perfect knowledge of the initiate.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Symbolism of Freemasonry] Reference

Here, however, the central shop seems to have been an open sacellum (chapel) framed by pillars that were still found in situ (see website 2006, Macellum, July 10 - August 10); we expect that the north portico -- to be excavated next year -- will contain a total of four shops, two pairs each on either side of the entrance.    From Wordnik.com.  [Interactive Dig Sagalassos - The Macellum Report 2] Reference

Now still, amidst the ruins of that extreme side of the peristyle which opened to this hillock were left, first, an ancient Roman fountain, that now served to water the swine, and next, a small sacellum, or fane to.    From Wordnik.com.  [Harold : the Last of the Saxon Kings — Complete] Reference

In the Mysteries of every nation, the candidate was made to pass, during his initiation, through scenes of utter darkness, and at length terminated his trials by an admission to the splendidly-illuminated sacellum, or sanctuary, where he was said to have attained pure and perfect light, and where he received the necessary instructions which were to invest him with that knowledge of the divine truth which it had been the object of all his labors to gain, and the design of the institution, into which he had been initiated, to bestow.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Symbolism of Freemasonry] Reference