İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri | |
 Entrance gate of the Archaeological Museum | |
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| Established | 13 July 1891; 134 years ago (1891-07-13) |
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| Location | Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu Sokak, Gülhane,Istanbul, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 41°00′39″N28°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 |
TheIstanbul Archaeology Museums (Turkish:İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri) are a group of three archaeological museums located in theEminönü quarter ofIstanbul, Turkey, nearGülhane Park andTopkapı 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:
The origins of the museum can be traced back to the nearbyHagia Irene Church. After the conquest of Istanbul, the church's location close to the barracks of theJanissaries saw it transformed into a de facto 'inner arsenal' for storing their weapons (Turkish:İçCebehane). By 1726, during the reign of SultanAhmed III, it functioned as a full-fledged armory known asDar-ülEsliha (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 SultanAbdülaziz (r. 1861–1876) was impressed by the archaeological museums inParis (30 June – 10 July 1867),[3]London (12–23 July 1867)[3] andVienna (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 ofImperial Museum (Ottoman Turkish:Müze-i Hümayun orTurkish:İmparatorluk Müzesi). As such, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum is often considered the "first museum of Turkey".[4]
Due to space constraints, the museum and its collection was transferred to theTiled Kiosk (Turkish:Çinili Köşk) between 1875 and 1891. Commissioned by SultanMehmed 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 firstcurator and founder of the museum wasOsman Hamdi Bey, Painter, Archeologist and son of İbrahim Edhem Pasha, an Ottoman Grand Vizier. An accomplished artist, in 2019 his paintingGirl 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 offiqh. 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 ofKing 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]
The construction of the main building was started byHamdi Bey in 1881, with its official opening held on June 13, 1891. The architect wasAlexander Vallaury who also designed thePera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. The facade of the building was inspired by theAlexander 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 saysAsar-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 ofneoclassical style architecture in Istanbul. Upon its 100th anniversary in 1991, the museum received theEuropean 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]
TheMuseum 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 theEarly Bronze Age,Assyrian Colony Period,Hittite,Neo-Hittite,Urartian,Aramean, as well asMesopotamian,Egyptian,Syrian,Iran,Palestinian andAncient Arabian cultures. The Egyptian collection comprises approximately 1,200 items, featuring artifacts representing various forms of Egyptian art. Most of them had come fromDra Abu al Nagar excavations nearKarnak excavated by Gautier in 1891. Other items were gifts from theKhedives of Egypt and Ottoman officers. Mesopotamian artifacts are 10,000 pieces that came fromAssur,Nippur,Lagash,Girsu,Uruk,Shurupak,Sippar,Nineveh excavations. Palestinian objects are fromTell Gezer,Tell Zakarijah,Tell el-Hesi,Tell Taannek,Tell Sandahanna,Megiddo andJericho excavations in Ottoman times. SeveralSusa vases were purchased from French excavators.[citation needed]
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The museum has a large collection ofTurkish,Hellenistic andRoman artifacts, many gathered from the vast former territories of theOttoman Empire. The five most prominent artifacts exhibited in the museum include:
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