Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi)
Near the citadel entrance, Ulus
About
This is the finest archaeological collection in all of Turkey and the primary reason Ankara is worth a stopover. Housed in a 15th-century caravansary and covered bazaar constructed under the reign of Mehmet the Conqueror, the museum contains a remarkable record of every civilization that passed through Anatolia as far back as the caveman. The exhibit begins with artifacts believed to date to the Paleolithic Age and follows the progression of time throughout the museum. The most impressive Neolithic Age findings are an 8,000-year-old wall, clay and ceramic representations of bulls' heads, images of a fat and misshapen Mother Goddess called Kybele (later Cybele, forerunner of Artemis and probably the Virgin Mary), and wall paintings from Çatalhöyük, man's oldest known stationary civilization. The collections illustrate the first time that man tills the soil, builds homes, and takes it upon himself to decorate his surroundings. The Neolithic section gives way to artifacts recovered from Hacilar, the center of the Chalcolithic Era, and includes a large collection of stone and metal tools and decorative jewelry. The Hatti tribes dominate the Bronze Age display with an abundance of solar discs, deer- and bull-shaped statuettes, and an evolved (and much thinner) version of the Mother Goddess. Loads of gold jewelry give a rare look into the daily and religious practices of this ancient people. Findings from the Assyrian trade colonies discovered at Kültepe, near Kayseri, are represented in the southern hall. (The Assyrians are credited with the introduction of the written word into Anatolia, much of which records transactions, receipts, and business agreements.) Over 20,000 clay tablets, inscribed in Assyrian cuneiform, have helped reveal a priceless amount of information on this period. The highlight of the Great Hittite Empire exhibit is the famous relief of the God of War taken from the King's Gate at Hattusas, but the bronze statues of fertility gods, bulls, and deer are not to be overlooked. There are various fruit bowls and vases with animal shapes, and an infamous vase that depicts a wedding ceremony along with the popular coital position of the time. Of major significance is the Akkadian-inscribed tablet (1275-1220 B.C.) -- a correspondence between Egyptian Queen Nefertari (identified here as Naptera), wife of Ramses II, and Hittite Queen Puduhepa, wife of Hattusili III, written after the treaty of Kadesh. Around 1200 B.C. the Hittite Empire collapsed and left a vacuum in which the foundation of new city kingdoms formed. The Phrygians were one of the more important of these civilizations; most of the artifacts in this section were found in the royal tumulus at Gordion, the kingdom's capital. The tumulus measured 300m (984 ft.) in diameter and 50m (164 ft.) in height. A reproduction of the ancient tumulus (burial mound) in which the tomb of King Midas was believed to have been found is on display here; recent disputes have fueled speculation as to whether the tomb and tumulus are actually those of Gordius. The Phrygian section also includes carved and inlaid wooden furniture, hinged dress pins, ritual vessels in pottery and metal, and depictions of powerful animals such as lions, rams, and eagles. Displays in the central vaulted building are rotated, but generally contain monumental statues from the various collections. On the lower lever (entrance located past the Chalcolithic display; save this for the end of your visit, circling back around to the Neolithic section and taking the stairs down) is a newer section of artifacts dating from the classical period plus a collection of objects recovered from around Ankara. The small exhibition contains some marble statues, jewelry, decorative vessels, and coins.
