‘The pearl of Aegean’ İzmir which has 8500-year-rich-past witnesses many civilizations from Hittites to Ions, from Lydians to Persians, from Hellene to Romans and from Ottomans to Byzantines as well this long period has left its marks on every corner of İzmir. İzmir is a city which was known ‘“Smyrna” in the past and it is said that İzmir took its name from Amazon Queen. In addition to this, İzmir Archeological Museum presents a enjoyable and ravishing journey regarding Aegean history and art to its visitors with striking works. İzmir Archeological Museum is one of first museum in Western Anatolia and not only is it a local museum but also it is a regional museum with an eye-catching beauty of works.
İzmir Archeological Museum is located in ascending street of Konak which is the heart of the city. Visitors can arrive to the museum with a short cut by going through the trees up from municipal bus stations.
HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM
İzmir Archeological Museum was built at vacated Ayavukla church of Basmane in 1924 firstly, it was opened to public after 3-year-gathered and collected works.
İzmir Archeological Museum was moved to National Education Pavilion located in Kültürpark and turned to a museum in 1951. However, it is needed a new museum due to the fact that there are a lot of ancient Works coming from ancient cities around İzmir. Accordingly, a new museum building was put into service in Bahribaba Park of Konak which is 5000m2 in 1984.
Antiques found in excavation and various Aegean Region documentation like Bayraklı (Smyrna), Efes, Bergama, Milet, Clazomenai, Teos ve Iasos and set light to Western Anatolia history and these antiques were exhibited in the museum and the yard of the museum.
The building is three-floored and the storehouse where hidden all Works at same category, restorated laboratory, liberary are present at ground floor; administrative divisions are present at first floor; showrooms are present at second and third floor.
FIRST FLOOR- ENTRANCE HALL
Box Office, conferance saloon and stone works saloon are available at middle floor which has an entrance hall at the same time.Granolithic floor is seen when it is looked from the part with railing where is found in the middle of the museum entrance hall as bird's-eye view. Mosaic brought from Kadifekale was decorated with animal and plant pattern and it was made particles of boulder and glass
There is an informative map at entrance of Stone Antiques Saloon, this map demosrates the civilizations existed on Anatolia throughout history to visitors and it displays the historical development of Anatolia in order to give visitors opportunity to understand exhibited antiques better.
ENTRANCE HALL STONE ANTIQUES SALOON
Large statues including Antique marble and stone sculptors, eikons, the statue head portrait and masksa are exhibited at musem entrance hall which is middle floor at the same time. Striking antiques at museum belong to the periods of Hellenistic (B.C. 330-30) and Rome (B.C. 30- A.D. 395). Small marble antiques determined by being classified between each other are present in 4 showcases of saloons.
Various sculpture and stelas belonged to Anatolian mother goddess Kibele who is the symbol of fertility in prehistorical periods are exhibited at the entrance hall of Stone Antiques Saloon. The root of Kibele reachs out until prehistorical periods and was turned to Artemis. Moreover, stelas presented to various Gods are available in showcases.
‘Priest Sculpture’ belonged to Rome Period was emerged in Bodrum and ‘Sculpture of Two Girls’ belonged to Hellenistic Period was brought from Torbalı, Metropolis Excavation; Androklos Sculpture belonged to Rome Period was found in Efes. Moreover, There is ‘Empire Priest Sculpture’ which has a diadem on his head and a ring at left hand is one of the striking example antiques belonged to A.D. 2nd century.
UPSTAIRS- EKREM AKURGAL CERAMIC WORKS SALOON
From prehistorical time to Byzantine period, various antiques obtained at excavation
in chronological order set visitors on a historical journey at this seramic saloon which was dedicated to famous archeologist of Turkey,Ord. Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal (1911 – 2002) in İzmir Archeological Museum. Information about art and traditions of their period is presented with photo pannels
Seramic works were produced as daily use equipment or a artwork. Especially, seramics with figures produced in B.C. 5th, 6th and 7th centuries give information about their social lives, religion, traditions, culture of cuisine and art.
Ekrem Akurgal Seramik Salonu has many antique works from prehistorical time to Byzantine period to exhibit. Prehistorical Period Seramic, Orientalizan Seramic, Attika Seramic, Helenis Seramic, Rome and Byzantine Seramics are in the exhibited works.
Prehistorical period antiques come from mounds like Baklatepe, Kocabaştepe (Tahtalı Dam rescue excavation), Panaztepe (Menemen), Ulucakhöyük (Kemalpaşa) and Limantepe (Urla); others belonged to different periods come from settlements like Clazomenai (Urla), Klaros (Ahmetbeyli), Erythrai (Ildırı), Teos (Sığacık), İasos (Kıyıkışlacık – Milas).
Rich work collection of İzmir Archeological Museum consists of protogeometric, geometric period Western Anatolian seramics, red and black Anatolian vases of Archaic periods, Mycenean seramics, Hellenistic Period hydrias, ashes of the dead people, urns, various cups, glass vases, bottles, masks, figurines.
Important antiques belonged to Athena temple were found in Old İzmir- Smyrna / Tepekule Höyüğü excavations and these works can be seen in this saloon.
the work of first black figure painter, Sophilos is present in the museum of Bayraklı and this picture named as Lebes Gamikos (Wedding can) describes a wedding festival of King Menelaos and Trojan beautiful Hellen.
There are some examples of antiques found in Gryneion (Hacıömerli) Nekropolü which is prophecy centre by İzmir Archeological Museum and antigues found in Pitane (Çandarlı) by Ord. Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal to set light us about animals like lion, sfenks; plants like palmet, lotus and objects like vases, gifts for cemetry and traditionals of burial.
Clazomenain tombs consist of another exhibition content of İzmir Archeological Museum. Terra-cotta (earthenware) tombs producted at Clazomenai ( present Urla- Port side) catch the attention with rich and colorful decorations.
Bronz Works are important for museum collection. Limited number of bronz works have reached to today due to the fact that bronz is a material which can be melted and used again. Bronz Athlete Sculpture belonged to last Hellenistic period was found in aroun Aliağa, Kyme antique city as well Demeter eikon was found by sponge fishermen under sea in depth of 75 m at Bodrum (Halikarnasos). These antiques are in the most precious works.
It is known that the statue of the competitor who comes first was sculptured in the olympic games arranged in ancient time Greece and Aegean region. This statue must be belong to the competitor who comes first in the olympic games.
Electron, golden, silver, bronz, copper coins, glass works (bottles of parfüme, jewellery ect..) belonged to Archaic, Classic, Hellenistic, Rome, Byzantine and islamic period; diadems, eye and mouth masks, golden, silver, ornaments made of precious and semiprecious Stones belonged to Hellenistic and Rome period are exhibited in Treasure Room where is in the same floor with seramic works.
Rich works including tombs, sepulchral monuments, sculptures, inscriptions and various column heads belonged to different periods exhibite in touch with nature of
İzmir Archeological Museum yard.