Istanbul Archaeology Museums

Archaeology museum in Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul Archaeology Museums

İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri

Entrance gate of the Archaeological Museum

Established| 13 July 1891; 134 years ago (1891-07-13)
Location| Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu Sokak, Gülhane, Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates| 41°00′39″N 28°58′54″E﻿ / ﻿41.010872°N 28.981659°E﻿ / 41.010872; 28.981659
Type| Archaeology museum
Collection size| Approx. 1 million objects
Visitors| 382.148 (2011) [1]
Founder| Osman Hamdi Bey
Director| Rahmi Asal

The Istanbul Archaeology Museums (Turkish: İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri) are a group of three archaeological museums located in the Eminönü quarter of Istanbul, Turkey, near Gülhane Park and Topkapı Palace. These museums house over one million objects from nearly all periods and civilizations in world history.

The Istanbul Archaeology Museums consists of three museums:

1. Archaeological Museum, located in the main building
2. Museum of the Ancient Orient
3. Museum of Islamic Art, housed in the Tiled Kiosk

## Background

[edit]

The origins of the museum can be traced back to the nearby Hagia Irene Church. After the conquest of Istanbul, the church's location close to the barracks of the Janissaries saw it transformed into a de facto 'inner arsenal' for storing their weapons (Turkish: İç Cebehane). By 1726, during the reign of Sultan Ahmed III, it functioned as a full-fledged armory known as Dar-ül Esliha (Turkish: House of Weapons).[2] By the 19th century, the church was also being used to store the varied artifacts amassed by the Ottoman Empire. [citation needed]

The Ottoman Sultan Abdülaziz (r. 1861–1876) was impressed by the archaeological museums in Paris (30 June – 10 July 1867),[3] London (12–23 July 1867)[3] and Vienna (28–30 July 1867)[3] which he visited in the summer of 1867,[3] and ordered a similar archaeological museum to be established in Istanbul. It was then, in 1869, that the church and the works in it were inaugurated by decree under the name of Imperial Museum (Ottoman Turkish: Müze-i Hümayun or Turkish: İmparatorluk Müzesi). As such, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum is often considered the "first museum of Turkey".[4]

## History

[edit]

Bust and memorial plaque to Osman Hamdi Bey in the foyer of the main building.

Due to space constraints, the museum and its collection was transferred to the Tiled Kiosk (Turkish: Çinili Köşk) between 1875 and 1891. Commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II in 1472 as a pleasure palace, it is the oldest non-religious Ottoman structure in Istanbul and retains a visible Persian influence in its style and architecture[5] It was first opened to the public in 1953 as the Fatih Museum, to showcase Turkish and Islamic art, and was later incorporated into the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.[citation needed]

Appointed to the role in 1881, the first curator and founder of the museum was Osman Hamdi Bey, Painter, Archeologist and son of İbrahim Edhem Pasha, an Ottoman Grand Vizier. An accomplished artist, in 2019 his painting Girl Reading the Quran sold for 6.3 million British pounds, making it the most expensive Turkish painting at that time.[6]

Throughout the 19th century, the existing importance given by the European states to historical artifacts gradually began to be understood by the Ottoman Empire as well. Thereunto arose the issue of establishing a method of regulating these cultural assets. Up to that point in time, 'historical artifacts' in the Ottoman Empire were subject to the common principles of fiqh. The absence of specific regulations for preserving historical artifacts in effect created a legal void surrounding aspects such as the definition of historical artifacts, along with where and how they would be preserved.[7]

This changed in 1869, when the first set of laws were enacted that outlined the regulation of antiquities. Modern conservation experts refer to this as the first 'protection law' issued by the Ottoman State, focusing on permissions to carry out excavations and related artifact management. According to this law, the owner of land on which an excavation was conducted could claim possession of the finds discovered. While it was illegal to take such relics abroad, they could be bought and sold within domestic borders and the state held the principal right to buy them.[8] With this imperial decree for protecting cultural goods now being enforced, provincial governors throughout the Ottoman Empire would send in found artefacts to the capital city, thus further growing the collection.[citation needed]

With subsequent major finds being discovered shortly thereafter, e.g. excavation of the necropolis of King Sidon in modern-day Lebanon, it soon became clear that a purpose-built building large enough to house the growing museum collection was required.[citation needed]

Pediment of Istanbul Archaeological Museum, with Ottoman Turkish اثار عتيقة موزسي "Asar-ı Atika Müzesi" (Museum of Antiquities), and the tughra of Abdulhamid II.

The construction of the main building was started by Hamdi Bey in 1881, with its official opening held on June 13, 1891. The architect was Alexander Vallaury who also designed the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. The facade of the building was inspired by the Alexander Sarcophagus and Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women, both housed inside the museum. The inscription in Ottoman Turkish on the pediments of the gates at the entrance of the museum says Asar-ı Atika Müzesi" (English: Museum of Antiquities). The tughra on the inscription belongs to Sultan Abdulhamid II. The building is considered by many as the preeminent example of neoclassical style architecture in Istanbul. Upon its 100th anniversary in 1991, the museum received the European Council Museum Award, particularly for the renovations made to the lower floor halls in the main building and the new displays in the other buildings.[citation needed]

The Museum of the Ancient Orient was commissioned by Osman Hamdi Bey in 1883 as a fine arts school. Then it was reorganised as a museum, which opened in 1935. Collections are relating to Anatolian history, including the Early Bronze Age, Assyrian Colony Period, Hittite, Neo-Hittite, Urartian, Aramean, as well as Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Syrian, Iran, Palestinian and Ancient Arabian cultures. The Egyptian collection comprises approximately 1,200 items, featuring artifacts representing various forms of Egyptian art. Most of them had come from Dra Abu al Nagar excavations near Karnak excavated by Gautier in 1891. Other items were gifts from the Khedives of Egypt and Ottoman officers. Mesopotamian artifacts are 10,000 pieces that came from Assur, Nippur, Lagash, Girsu, Uruk, Shurupak, Sippar, Nineveh excavations. Palestinian objects are from Tell Gezer, Tell Zakarijah, Tell el-Hesi, Tell Taannek, Tell Sandahanna, Megiddo and Jericho excavations in Ottoman times. Several Susa vases were purchased from French excavators.[citation needed]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Si.427 obverse, dates from the Old Babylonian period between 1900 and 1600 BCE. Discovered in the late 19th century in what is now Iraq.

* The Alexander Sarcophagus, found at the Royal necropolis of Ayaa in Sidon

* The Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty

* Lycian sarcophagus of Sidon in Parian marble from the Royal necropolis of Ayaa in Sidon

* Pediment and shafts of a temple

* Ancient Greek exhibition of the museum

* Icon with relief Virgin Mary at prayer

* Statue of Emperor Valentinian II

* Statue of Alexander the Great

* Puzur Ishtar, governor of Mari

* Glazed brick panel from way to Ishtar Gate

* Keystone that was probably a part of the Forum of Constantine

* Tabnit sarcophagus in Diorite from the Royal necropolis of Ayaa in Sidon

* Siloam Inscription

* Porphyry sarcophagi of Byzantine emperors

* A fragment of a Byzantine sarcophagus that is believed to belong to Constantine the Great.

## Collection

[edit]

The museum has a large collection of Turkish, Hellenistic and Roman artifacts, many gathered from the vast former territories of the Ottoman Empire. The five most prominent artifacts exhibited in the museum include:

* The ornate sarcophagi from the Royal necropolis of Ayaa in Sidon:
* The Alexander Sarcophagus, found in the Ayaa necropolis of Sidon. Once believed to be prepared for Alexander the Great, is among the most famous pieces of ancient art in the museum.[2]
* Sarcophagus of the mourning women, also found in the Ayaa necropolis of Sidon (in fact, the sarcophagus of Strato I, king of Sidon)
* The Tabnit sarcophagus
* The Sarcophagus of the Satrap
* The Lycian sarcophagus of Sidon
* Glazed tile images from the Ishtar Gate of Babylon
* Statues from ancient antiquity until the end of the Roman Era, from Aphrodisias, Ephesus and Miletus
* Statue of an Ephebos
* Statue of Apollo Citharoedus from Miletus
* Parts of statues from the Temple of Zeus found at Bergama
* A marble lion from the Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the few pieces remaining in Turkey
* Snake's head from the Serpentine Column erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople
* Mother-Goddess Cybele and votive stelai
* Busts of Alexander the Great and Zeus
* Fragments from the temple of Athena at Assos
* The Troy exhibit
* 800,000 Ottoman coins, seals, decorations and medals
* One tablet with the oldest known law-collection, the laws of king Ur-Nammu
* Two of the three tablets of the Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty (1258 BCE), signed between Ramesses II of Egypt and Hattusili III of the Hittite Empire. It is the oldest known peace treaty in the world, and a giant poster of these tablets containing the treaty is on the wall of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
* The Saba'a Stele of the Assyrian king Adad-nirari III
* Tablet archive containing some 75,000 documents with cuneiform inscriptions, including one containing the oldest known love poem, the Istanbul #2461 tablet
* Artifacts from the early civilizations of Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Arabia and Egypt
* Siloam inscription, which made headlines in July 2007 when Israel asked for its return.[4][9]
* Gezer calendar
* Balawat gates, a single gate
* Samaria ostraca
* Warning inscription from the Second Temple in Jerusalem

## See also

[edit]

* Great Palace Mosaic Museum
* Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
* Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ministry of Culture and Tourism - Museum Statistics". kultur.gov.tr. January 1, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
2. ^ a b "Istanbul Archaeology Museum". The New York Times. March 18, 2009. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
3. ^ a b c d "Sultan Abdülaziz - Avrupa Seyahati/Tarih/milliyet blog". blog.milliyet.com.tr. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
4. ^ a b "Jerusalem seeks return of ancient tablet". USA Today. July 13, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
5. ^ "The Tiled Kiosk Museum, Things You Should Definitely Experience in Istanbul". www.bosphorustour.com. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
6. ^ "Osman Hamdi Bey painting surprises exam takers". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
7. ^ "The Protection of Historical Artifacts in Ottoman Empire: The Permanent Council for the Protection of Ancient Artifacts" (PDF).
8. ^ "The Changing Policies on the Protection and Management of Archaeological Sites in Turkey: an Overview". intarch.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
9. ^ "J'lem mayor turns Turkey on tablet". Jerusalem Post. July 13, 2007.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

* Istanbul Archaeological Museums
* Istanbul Archaeology Museum page at the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism website
* Museum of Architecture – Istanbul Archaeology Museum

* v
* t
* e

Istanbul Archaeology Museums

Buildings|

* Istanbul Archaeology Museum
* Museum of the Ancient Orient
* Museum of Islamic Art

Departments
and objects|

| Near East and Middle East|

* Alexander Sarcophagus
* Balawat Gates
* Gezer calendar
* Istanbul 2461
* Lycian sarcophagus of Sidon
* Saba'a Stele
* Lugal-dalu statue
* Puzur-Ishtar statue
* Samaria Ostraca
* Tabnit sarcophagus
* Temple Warning inscription
* Tura-Dagan statue
* Siloam inscription

|

Egypt|

* Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Fatih, Istanbul

Neighbourhoods|

* Aksaray
* Akşemsettin
* Alemdar
* Ali Kuşçu
* Atikali
* Ayvansaray
* Balabanağa
* Balat
* Beyazıt
* Binbirdirek
* Cankurtaran
* Cerrahpaşa
* Cibali
* Demirtaş
* Derviş Ali
* Emin Sinan
* Hacı Kadın
* Haseki Sultan
* Hırka-İ Şerif
* Hobyar
* Hoca Gıyasettin
* Hocapaşa
* İskenderpaşa
* Kalenderhane
* Karagümrük
* Katip Kasım
* Kemalpaşa
* Koca Mustafapaşa
* Küçük Ayasofya
* Mercan
* Mesihpaşa
* Mevlanakapı
* Mimar Hayrettin
* Mimar Kemalettin
* Mollafenari
* Mollagürani
* Molla Hüsrev
* Muhsine Hatun
* Nişanca
* Rüstempaşa
* Saraç İshak
* Sarıdemir
* Şehremini
* Şehsuvar Bey
* Seyyid Ömer
* Silivrikapı
* Süleymaniye
* Sultan Ahmet
* Sümbül Efendi
* Sururi
* Tahtakale
* Tayahatun
* Topkapı
* Yavuz Sinan
* Yavuz Sultan Selim
* Yedikule
* Zeyrek

Quarters|

* Ahırkapı
* Altımermer
* Ayakapı
* Bahçekapı
* Belgradkapı
* Büyüklanga
* Cağaloğlu
* Çapa
* Çarşıkapı
* Çatladıkapı
* Çarşamba
* Çemberlitaş
* Çukurbostan
* Draman
* Edirnekapı
* Eğrikapı
* Eminönü
* Fener
* Fındıkzade
* Gedikpaşa
* Haseki
* Horhor
* İmrahor
* Kadırga
* Kıztaşı
* Küçükmustafapaşa
* Küçükpazar
* Kumkapı
* Küçüklanga
* Laleli
* Mahmutpaşa
* Narlıkapı
* Nuruosmaniye
* Pazartekke
* Samatya
* Saraçhane
* Sarayburnu
* Sirkeci
* Sofular
* Sulukule
* Şehzadebaşı
* Taşkasap
* Unkapanı
* Vefa
* Vezneciler
* Yenikapı
* Yusufpaşa

Landmarks|

* Beyazıt Square
* Beyazıt Tower
* Bulgarian St. Stephen Church
* Chora Church
* Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery
* Eski Saray
* Firuz Agha Mosque
* Hagia Sophia
* İstanbul Archaeology Museums
* Laleli Mosque
* Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
* Rüstem Pasha Medrese
* Spice Bazaar
* Sultan Ahmed Mosque
* Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library
* Topkapı Palace
* Hagia Irene
* Yedikule Fortress

Transport|

* Sirkeci railway station

Education|

* Cağaloğlu Anadolu Lisesi
* Istanbul High School
* Istanbul University
* Kadir Has University

Metro Stations|

* Aksaray
* Emniyet—Fatih
* Topkapı—Ulubatlı (part)
* Vezneciler
* Yenikapı (part)

* Turkey portal
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Museums in Istanbul

Archaeology and history museums|

* Great Palace Mosaic Museum
* Istanbul Archaeology Museums
* Museum of the Ancient Orient
* Hisart Museum

Castles|

* Anadoluhisarı
* Rumelihisarı
* Yedikule Fortress

Culture and art museums|

* Ara Güler Museum
* Arter
* Doğançay Museum
* Elgiz Museum
* Istanbul Contemporary Art Museum
* Istanbul Modern
* Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture
* Madame Tussauds Istanbul
* Museum of Turkish Calligraphy Art
* Museum of World Costumes
* National Palaces Painting Museum
* Pera Museum
* Rezan Has Museum
* Sadberk Hanım Museum
* Sakıp Sabancı Museum
* SALT
* SantralIstanbul
* Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum

Historic house museums|

* Adam Mickiewicz Museum
* Aşiyan Museum
* Atatürk Museum
* Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion
* İsmet İnönü House Museum

Literary museums|

* Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Museum
* Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar Museum
* Orhan Kemal Museum
* Piyer Loti Museum
* Sait Faik Abasıyanık Museum

Military museums|

* Aviation Museum
* Military Museum
* Naval Museum

Palaces and pavilions|

* Aynalıkavak Pavilion
* Beylerbeyi Palace
* Dolmabahçe Palace
* Ihlamur Pavilion
* Küçüksu Pavilion
* Maslak Pavilion
* Palace of the Porphyrogenitus
* Tiled Kiosk
* Topkapı Palace
* Yıldız Palace

Religious museums|

* The Chora
* Galata Mevlevi House Museum [tr]
* Hagia Irene
* Hagia Sophia
* Jewish Museum of Turkey
* Pammakaristos Church

Science and technology museums|

* Camera Museum
* Hasanpaşa Gasworks
* Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam
* Kandilli Earthquake Museum
* Rahmi M. Koç Museum
* SantralIstanbul Energy Museum
* Postal Museum
* Railway Museum
* Istanbul Zoology Museum
* ITU Science Center
* Natural History Museum of İhsan Ketin

Miscellaneous|

* Bakırköy Psychiatric Hospital Museum
* Fenerbahçe Museum
* Galatasaray Museum
* Istanbul Toy Museum
* Istanbul UFO Museum
* İşbank Museum
* Miniatürk
* MSA Gastronomy Museum
* Museum of Illumination and Heating Appliances
* Museum of the Princes' Islands
* Ottoman Bank Museum
* TGC Press Media Museum
* The Museum of Innocence
* Women's Museum Istanbul

* v
* t
* e

Archaeological museums in Turkey

Aegean
region|

* Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum
* Aydın Archaeological Museum
* Bodrum Castle
* Bolvadin Museum
* Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum
* Ephesus Archaeological Museum
* Hierapolis
* Izmir Archeology Museum
* Archaeological Museum of Manisa
* Uşak Museum of Archaeology

Black Sea
region|

* Amasya Museum
* Bolu Museum
* Çorum Archaeological Museum
* Kastamonu Archaeological Museum
* Konuralp Museum
* Samsun Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography
* Sinop Archaeological Museum
* Tokat Museum
* Trabzon Museum

Central Anatolia
region|

* Çatalhöyük
* Eskişehir Archaeological Museum
* Konya Archaeological Museum
* Gordion Museum
* Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

Eastern Anatolia
region|

* Kars Museum
* Van Museum

Marmara
region|

* Bursa Archaeological Museum
* Çanakkale Archaeological Museum
* Great Palace Mosaic Museum
* Istanbul Archaeology Museums
* Kırklareli Museum
* Sadberk Hanım Museum
* Tekirdağ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography

Mediterranean
region|

* Adana Archaeology Museum
* Alanya Archaeological Museum
* Antalya Museum
* Arslan Eyce Private Amphora Museum
* Burdur Archaeological Museum
* Hatay Archaeology Museum
* Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum
* Mersin Museum
* Misis Mosaic Museum
* Silifke Museum
* Tarsus Museum

Southeastern Anatolia
region|

* Adıyaman Archaeological Museum
* Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum
* Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology
* Şanlıurfa Museum
* Zeugma Mosaic Museum

* v
* t
* e

Islamic museums

Africa|

* Egypt (Museum of Islamic Art, Museum of Islamic Ceramics)
* Libya (Islamic Museum of Tripoli, Red Castle Museum)
* Morocco (Dar Batha Museum, Majorelle Garden, Marrakech Museum)
* Tunisia (Bardo National Museum, Mahdia Museum, National Museum of Islamic Art)

Asia|

| South|

* Afghanistan (Museum of Islamic Art)
* India (Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences)
* Maldives (National Museum)
* Pakistan (Multan Museum, National Museum of Pakistan)

|

South
East|

* Malaysia (Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Islamic Heritage Museum, Kelantan Islamic Museum, Malay and Islamic World Museum, Malacca Al-Quran Museum, Malacca Islamic Museum, Penang Islamic Museum, Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum, Sabah Museum)
* Philippines (Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts)
* Singapore (Asian Civilisations Museum)

West|

* Bahrain (Beit Al Quran)
* Iran (Astan Quds Razavi Central Museum, Museum of the Islamic Era)
* Iraq (National Museum of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah Museum)
* Israel/Palestine (Islamic Museum, Museum for Islamic Art)
* Jordan (Prophet Mohammad Museum)
* Kuwait (Dar al Athar al Islamiyyah, Tareq Rajab Museum)
* Qatar (Museum of Islamic Art, National Museum of Qatar)
* Syria (National Museum of Damascus, National Museum of Aleppo, Raqqa Museum)
* Turkey Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, İstanbul Archaeology Museums, Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam, Museum of Turkish Calligraphy Art, Sadberk Hanım Museum, Topkapi Palace Museum, Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum)
* United Arab Emirates (Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Zayed National Museum)

Europe|

* Denmark (David Collection)
* France (Arab World Institute, Louvre)
* Germany (Museum of Islamic Art)
* Greece (Benaki Museum)
* United Kingdom (British Museum, Burrell Collection, Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, Khalili Collection of Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage, Victoria and Albert Museum)

North
America|

* Canada (Aga Khan Museum)
* United States (America's Islamic Heritage Museum, Harvard Art Museums, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Walters Art Museum, Shangri La (Doris Duke))

Oceania|

* Australia (Islamic Museum of Australia)

Virtual|

* Museum with No Frontiers

Part of Islamic arts

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Australia
* Czech Republic
* Norway
* Poland
* Vatican
* Israel
* Catalonia

Academics|

* CiNii

Artists|

* ULAN

Other|

* Kulturenvanteri monument
* Yale LUX

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template