Remarkable Relics at Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

Remarkable Relics at Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

October 2020.

How much incredibly beautiful ancient art is it possible to absorb in one city? In the case of Istanbul the answer is, a lot. Just when we thought we’d surely seen the very best of the city’s historic artwork and boom, she struck again.

What else could possibly compete with the stunning palaces of Topkapi and Dolmabahçe? With the precious optics of mosques such as Hagia Sophia and Süleymaniye? Or the stupendous frescoes of The Chora and the spectacular images of The Great Palace Mosaics Museum? 

The answer was… (drum roll)… the Istanbul Archaeological Museums! We arrived on a sunny (as always) morning when (once again) there were very few people around. By this point we had become used to having the city sights to ourselves. Boy do I miss that.

The museum’s backstory is pretty cool. Following the Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman military began storing weapons and acquired treasures in Hagia Irene, a Byzantine house of worship that historians say is now the oldest standing church in Istanbul.

Remarkable Relics at Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

As the centuries passed these priceless artefacts and spoils of war grew and grew, until the church was quite literally bursting at the seams. Eventually, in 1867, Sultan Abdulaziz decided that they needed a proper home. He had been travelling Europe that summer, you see, and felt suitably wowed by the archaeological museums of London, Paris and Vienna.

However, the process of setting up the museum proved to be a slow one. For a while the empire’s precious artefacts remained in the church, but now presented for the first time in an organised exhibit. Moreover, a new government decree gave the relics a protected status, effectively creating what historians have called “The first museum of Turkey”.

Between 1875 and 1891 the entire collection gradually made its way from Hagia Irene to the nearby site (roughly a 7-minute walk) of today’s museum. Back then everything was on display in one building, a stunning structure called The Tiled Kiosk, pictured below.

Dating back to 1472 and once part of Topkapi Palace, this former pleasure kiosk now serves as the compound’s Museum of Islamic Art. A warmup act, if you will, for the main collection spread across the other two buildings.

The Tiled Kiosk.

Inside, the kiosk is somewhat stark in terms of exhibited items. Nevertheless, there is a clear sense of dignity and beauty to its simplicity. Plus, what items it does present are exceptionally pretty and of great historic consequence.

For the most part it stands as an exhibition of ancient pottery and ceramics. Including, I must concede, some of the finest tiles we saw across the entire city. Dating from the 12th to 20th centuries, there are samples of Seljukian tiles (11th-14th centuries) and 15th century Anatolian pieces. All of them are absolutely exquisite.

One of the kiosk’s loveliest creations is this tiled niche (mihrab). The accompanying info states that it was once part of a small mosque and soup kitchen in what is now the Turkish city of Karaman. Sculpted in 1432, it has been wonderfully restored and looks as fresh as a daisy.

Furthermore, we got to deepen our appreciation of Iznik tiles, a style I have already shared in my articles on Topkapi Palace and Süleymaniye Mosque. These ones though are arguably the pick of the bunch.

And yet, the highlight of the kiosk is surely this fabulous 16th century fountain.

Istanbul Museum of Islamic Art.

Its delicately carved motifs include tulips, carnations and flowering plum branches. Inscriptions on both sides meanwhile reveal its date of creation as 1590.

Frankly, I felt like the 200 lira entrance fee ($8 pp) had already been justified and we hadn’t even entered the main halls yet.

Back outside in the courtyard, it felt like a good time to tap back into the history of the museums’ creation. 1881 was certainly a game-changing year. This was when the museum began its grand expansion into the two additional buildings we see today.

Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

Sultan Abdul Hamid II appointed a man by the name of Osman Hamdi Bey as curator. Celebrated as the founder of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Osman Hamdi Bey was a renowned archaeologist himself, in addition to being a famous painter.

In fact, one of his most notable works, Girl Reciting the Quran, sold for over $7 million in 2019, making it the world’s most expensive Turkish painting at the time. 

In 1881 Hamdi Bey announced that construction would shortly begin on a brand new museum building just across from the Tiled Kiosk. Having hired the French-Ottoman architect Alexander Vallaury to design the structure in the neoclassical style, the two men proudly attended its grand opening in the summer of 1891. Curious and excited about the remarkable relics that live within, we climbed the steps and entered.

While the new archaeology museum was under construction, Hamdi Bey and a team of archaeologists went gallivanting around Turkey, Greece and Lebanon to carry out a series of ambitious excavations. His finds, which he brought back to Constantinople, were absolutely astounding. Indeed he returned with a bounty of ancient sarcophagi!

A Breathtaking Collection.

Coming face to face with these pieces in the large silent chamber that morning was definitely a special moment. With the place to ourselves, we hardly knew where to look first.

How about this mysterious coffin, for starters. Simply named Sarcophagus, the notes give no indication as to whom it may have belonged. Rather, it simply states that it’s a marble piece found in Tripoli. And that it mostly likely dates back to the 2nd century.

Next, we came upon the impossibly elegant Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women. Unearthed in Sidon, Lebanon, this 4th century (BCE) box was crafted for the Sidon king Straton I. Unfortunately, looters had stripped most of its contents centuries before Hamdi Bey got his hands on it.

Still, its carved exterior remains superbly preserved. On all sides, set between ionic columns, stand a number of women frozen in various states of grief. Some historians say the images represent mourning women in general. Others insist these women were likely the king’s wives, concubines and family members.

Experts reckon craftsmen in either Athens or Rhodes constructed the sarcophagus. According to the museum notes, Hamdi Bey was devastated when he opened the coffin to see that only the skulls of seven hunting dogs remained.

Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

Another awesome piece is the Tabnit Sarcophagus. This is the final resting place of Tabnit, the Phoenician King of Sidon, who ruled between 549-539 BCE. The lid showcases some astounding inscriptions, one in the Phoenician alphabet, the other in Egyptian hieroglyphs.

The Phoenician inscription is an absolute peach, as it contains a curse for anyone who dared open the tomb. Specifically, it says that “impotency” and “loss of afterlife” would befall anyone foolish enough to look inside. However, that didn’t stop Hamdi Bey and his team from doing just that when they found the sarcophagus near Sidon in 1887.  

Moreover, unlike the Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women, this time Hamdi Bey had hit the jackpot. That’s because Tabnit himself was still inside!

A diary entry from the day talked of  “a human body floating in perfect preservation in a peculiar fluid”. Over the moon, the team swiftly arranged for Tabnit’s transfer to the Ottoman capital. Unbelievable stuff, no wonder I couldn’t take my eyes off him in the museum that day.

Somehow, we had yet to see what historians generally consider to be Hamdi Bey’s greatest find. Full of anticipation, we certainly weren’t disappointed as we approached the magnificent Alexander Sarcophagus.

Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

Also found near Sidon, this giant hellenistic stone sarcophagus remains shrouded in mystery to this day. In fact, historians are still debating who it might have been created for.

Some say it could’ve belonged to a member of the Phoenician royalty or military. Someone who once did battle with Alexander the Great. Right enough, Alexander appears all over the coffin’s bas-relief carvings. An alternative view is that its occupant may have been a member of Persian nobility. They also fought Alexander, you know.

Despite this lack of clarity, the sarcophagus takes top prize for many due to the fact that it is remarkably well-preserved. While it is undoubtedly impressive, my favourite is probably Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women.

Later, having marvelled at dozens of ancient stone columns, statues, busts and friezes, we exited back into the courtyard once again. Time flies when you’re having fun, and all that. With just a few hours until we had to be back home for classes, we ducked into the third and final structure, the Museum of the Ancient Orient.

Established in 1935, this museum houses a collection of relics from across the Ancient Near East. Stuffed with mind-blowing pieces, this article would probably stretch on for an eternity if I were to showcase all the objects that caught our attention. Instead, I’m gonna hit you with the stuff that fascinated me the most.

Museum of the Ancient Orient.

Many pieces originate from the ancient city of Babylon. Claimed from the ruins of Ishtar Gate, which connected the city’s inner and outer walls, this 6th century glazed brickwork is known as Lions in Relief. Known as the sacred animal of the goddess Ishtar, these are two of around 120 lions that once held court in and around the gate.

Numerous animals decorated the gate during Babylon’s golden years. The most fearsome was Mušḫuššu, a mythological hybrid beast that one certainly wouldn’t want to bump into in a dark alley.

Dedicated to the god Marduk, it has the neck and head of a dragon. Its front legs resemble that of a lion, while its back legs feature eagle-esque talons. Finally, its entire frame has a scaly snakelike quality. It’s not exactly cute, is it?

Of the countless statues in the museum, a special mention goes to the Head of Lamassu. This 8th century marble piece stood in The Old Palace in Assur as a protective gate guard. Lamassu is a celestial being that represents intelligence, strength and freedom. It is a mix of human, bull (yes, really) and eagle.

Similarly arresting, how about this statue of Puzur-Ishtar, the 3rd century governor of Mari in northern Mesopotamia (now Syria). Created in Mari, it originally stood in the Palace of Zimri-Lam. Historians reckon Babylonian soldiers claimed the statue as a war booty after looting the palace. 

Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

I’m gonna wrap things up with two frankly stunning objects. First, take a look at this Neo Sumerian court murder verdict (2112-2004 BCE). Carved in terracotta, the museum fails to enlighten us as to the actual verdict. Was he or she guilty? What became of them? The suspense is still killing me.

Equally mind-boggling is another document carved into stone. This is the Treaty of Kadesh, the world’s earliest known parity peace treaty. Also referred to as the Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty, it details an agreement struck between the Hittite King Ḫattušili III and the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II in 1259 BCE. It was written in Akkadian, the international language of the day. Luckily, the museum provides a translation.

“This is to establish good peace and brotherhood in the relationship
of the land of Egypt with the Hatti land forever”.

We were back outside in the courtyard once again. It was just as peaceful as when we had arrived. So much so that we wished we could just hang for a bit longer. Maybe grab a coffee and spend some time taking in the garden sculptures. But alas we had to make tracks, leaving behind yet another essential corner of Istanbul.

Like this? Take a look at my series of articles on Istanbul.

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