Pisidia wants its treasures back from Istanbul

Pisidia wants its treasures back from Istanbul

ISPARTA
Pisidia wants its treasures back from Istanbul

There is growing demand for the return of artifacts excavated nearly a century ago from the ancient city of Pisidia Antiokheia in the southern province of Isparta’s Yalvaç district, which were subsequently moved to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.

“Excavations are still ongoing in the region. The bodies of the statues, whose heads were taken away, may also be found. The Istanbul Archaeology Museum already has plenty of artifacts,” said Professor Mehmet Özhanlı, the head of the Pisidia Antiokheia excavation team.

Pisidia Antiokheia has great significance for the Christian world. The first excavations at the ancient city began in 1908 under W. Ramsay and continued until World War I. Comprehensive excavations led by a large team from Michigan University were conducted between 1924 and 1927. These works were carried out in multiple areas of the city, including the sacred Men Temple.

Since there was no archaeology museum in Yalvaç at the time, artifacts unearthed during this period were sent to museums in Afyonkarahisar, Konya and Istanbul. After the Yalvaç Archaeology Museum opened in 1966, artifacts from the Afyonkarahisar and Konya museums were transferred to Yalvaç, where they are now displayed. However, artifacts taken to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, including the Kornelia Antonia statue from Men Temple (discovered in 1913), the Augustus statue head from the city center, the Lucius Verus statue head and the head of a young statue, remain in Istanbul.

Özhanlı emphasized the importance of returning these artifacts to their rightful place in the Yalvaç Museum.

He mentioned the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s recent success in repatriating artifacts smuggled abroad, saying: “The ministry’s efforts to ensure artifacts are displayed where they belong are highly commendable. Successful operations have brought many important artifacts back to their homeland. We believe the artifacts taken from Pisidia Antiokheia and displayed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum should now be exhibited in their original location. Yalvaç has an archaeology museum and displaying artifacts from the region there would be more meaningful."

“Additionally, excavations in the area are ongoing and the bodies of the statue heads previously taken may still be uncovered. The Istanbul Archaeology Museum has an abundance of artifacts, while the Yalvaç Archaeology Museum exclusively houses items from the local area. Bringing these artifacts back to Yalvaç would be a wise decision. It would not only increase the museum’s visitor numbers but also allow the local community to benefit from tourism revenues,” he added.