Overview:

The Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology is one of the renowned archaeological museums in Turkey. The museum was founded in 1965 and is located in the city of Gaziantep. The museum houses important artifacts, monuments, and archaeological findings from different periods in the history of Turkey, such as the Chalcolithic, Hittite and Roman. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. The museum consists of five main exhibitions in the museum: • Hall of Prehistoric Times – displays artifacts from the Chalcolithic period, including stone tools, jewelry, stone sculptures and coins. • Hall of the Hittites - showcases items that were discovered by Yucel and Boratav in the south-eastern Anatolia region such as clay tablets with cuneiform writing, weapons and tools dating back to the Hittite civilization. • Hall of the Romans - features artifacts from the Roman era, such as bronze statues, funerary stelae, funerary mirrors, coins, jewelry and items related to Roman gods and goddesses. • Hall of Islamic Art – showcases Islamic artifacts and art from the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties, including jewelry, stonework, pottery and manuscripts. • Hall of the Ottomans - displays items related to the Ottoman Empire, such as coins, weapons and jewelry. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Turkey
Prominent Features:

The most prominent feature of Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology is its extensive collection of artifacts, including relics from ancient civilizations such as the Hittites and Assyrians. The museum houses a total of 100,000 archaeological specimens of all shapes and sizes, making it the largest such museum in Turkey. Visitors can explore the various collections, ranging from Sumerian, Hellenistic, Neo-Assyrian, and Islamic artifacts. They can also explore the Neanderthal remains from nearby Kursunlu Cave. The museum often showcases temporary exhibitions, and visitors can also view educational videos on various topics. The museum even has a tourist information center for visitors to take advantage of. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Turkey.

History:

Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology, located in Gaziantep province in southeastern Turkey, opened to the public in 1982. The main purpose of the museum was to protect and display the historical monuments and artifacts of the region, particularly those from the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. The history of the museum began in the 19th century, when a number of archaeological sites were discovered in the Gaziantep region, including the ruins of Zeugma, which is known for its magnificent mosaics. The museum’s early collections were collected from the area; these collections included coins, pottery and sculpture, as well as some mosaic art. The museum building itself was opened in 1924, initially as an Ottoman-style house, but it was later expanded to include a research center, lectures hall, and galleries for the display of the museum’s artifacts. By the 1970s, the museum had grown into a significant source of both archaeological research and a large-scale archaeological collection. Exhibitions of artifacts from the Roman, Ottoman, and Byzantine periods are the most popular with the public, as well as a collection of art and crafts, including traditional Ottoman decorative objects, metalwork, jewelry, and pottery. Other popular displays include ancient seals and coins, and a variety of digital displays. Today, the museum holds to its founding mission of preserving, exhibiting, and researching archaeological artifacts in the region. The museum also features a number of educational programs, and hosts lectures and workshops related to the history and culture of Gaziantep. The museum is open 7 days a week and admission is free. Visit one of the famous monuments of Turkey with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology is one of the largest archaeological museums in the Middle East. 2. The museum was established in 1968 and is devoted to exhibiting artifacts from the civilizations of the Zagros and Euphrates regions of Mesopotamia. 3. Among the many artifacts in the museum, visitors can find important pieces from the Bronze Ages - Assyrian, Akkadian, Sumerian and Hittite. 4. The museum is home to a world-renowned collection of Jewish mosaics dating back to the 4th century. 5. Also located within the museum are two ancient tombs with fascinating frescos. 6. The museum includes objects that have been donated over the years from the surrounding cities and towns such as Malatya, Antep, and Nusaybin. 7. The museum also includes a large library with a comprehensive collection of books related to Near Eastern historical and archaeological research. 8. The museum recently completed a major renovation and restoration project in 2017, making it even more attractive to visitors from around the world. One of the historical monuments of Turkey, it tells the story of a bygone era