Travel Highlights - Archaeology Museums

Today's itinerary was to visit Topkapi Palace. We entered through a side entrance, but as we approached, a guard waved us off, saying it was Tuesday and the palace was being cleaned, so we had to come back tomorrow. We ended up walking back, and happened to pass the Turkish Archaeology Museum, which wasn't on our itinerary. However, our schedule was flexible and could be changed at any time, so we went in. The result was truly eye-opening.

Istanbul Archaeology Museums

Built in the late 19th century, the Istanbul Archaeology Museum is the main building of the entire museum complex. Designed by an Ottoman architect, one side of the exterior is inspired by the two sarcophagi within the building, adopting the Neoclassical style of ancient Greece, making it a renowned neoclassical architectural style. The museum primarily displays artifacts and sculptures from the Roman and Greek periods, with the most famous being the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great and the Sarcophagus of the Lady of Mourning. The museum is divided into the Main Building, the Ancient Oriental Building, and the Tile Building, with the Main Building occupying the largest area. The museum houses rare and unique artifacts, including the historic Tabunit Sarcophagus, the Lamenting Woman Sarcophagus, and a lifelike statue of Alexander the Great, allowing visitors to step back into history. While its scale and collections may not rival those of world-renowned museums like the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, or the Vatican Museums, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum still offers some truly worthwhile exhibits.

Alexander Sarcophagus

The Archaeological Museum of Turkey is a world-class museum of ancient coffins, and its most significant treasure is the Alexander Sarcophagus. The Alexander Sarcophagus is a Greek fossil sarcophagus decorated with a bas-relief of Alexander the Great. Classical Greek sculptors created marvelous Hellenistic sculpture in the Athenian idiom in the late 4th century BC. The most significant sculptural scene depicts Alexander the Great attempting battle with the Persian King Darius III, as Darius flees the Battle of Issus in 333 BC. The Alexander Sarcophagus is one of four large carved sarcophagi discovered during excavations in 1887 at a necropolis near Sidon, Lebanon. The sarcophagus was likely created for a wealthy and influential noble or governor of the region.

Lycian Sarcophagus (Lykia Lahiti/Lycian Sarcophagus) Lydia was an ancient kingdom in western-central Asia Minor, existing from the 7th century BC to 546 BC. It may have been the first nation in the world to use coinage. The Lycian Sarcophagus pictured here is believed to have been crafted in the late 5th century BC. Its design is distinctive and avant-garde, with a sphinx carved on the lid and a centaur depicted on the coffin.

Statue of Bes: As soon as you step into the entrance of the Archaeological Museum, you will see a statue of Bes from the Roman period. It is so huge that it is difficult to ignore the existence of this short-legged god. Bes is an ancient Egyptian god. Although he looks a bit scary, with a short and fat stature, big eyes, and a thick curly beard, he has a kind face. In addition to protecting the pharaoh, Bes is also the patron saint of the family and will protect the home.

The Turkish Museum is really special, and every venue is amazing because it uses the historical background of the period to paint huge murals, and at the same time adds those lifelike sculptures, presenting a three-dimensional sense that is very shocking.