Authenticity of Ottoman tiles raises questions
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Officials say, Ottoman tiles, that were sent to Paris, exchanged for fakes.
A collection of Ottoman tiles from the Hagia Sophia that were sent to Paris for restoration 108 years ago were never returned to the Ottoman Empire – fakes were sent in their stead, according to a daily Cumhurriyet article.The tiles were included in a shrine made for Nur Banu Sultan, wife of Selim II. In 2003 one of the tiles fell from the shrine and broke.
When officials wanted to restore the tiles they had a surprise.
The tiles included the words “Choisy-le-Roi Seine” written in the Latin alphabet instead of the Ottoman alphabet.
Officials now believe the tiles were exchanged by the French dentist, using Choisy-le-Roi Seine, which was known for producing high quality fake tiles.
Manager of the Louvre Museum Henri Loyrette said while he was visiting the Hagia Sophia in 2008, “It is impossible to prove where and how the tiles came.”
