The short history of Antalya
The Antalya Region has always been resided since Paleolithic Age to today. Since there are names of this region in the Elliad legend of Homeros, it is clarified that there was an indigenous public living in the 1200 B.C. in this region called Pamphilio. The region had been under the sovereignty of Lydia Kingdom, Persians and Alexander the Great's. The western part of Pamphllia was acquired by the King Attalos II of Pergarnon in 2 B.C. and the king founded a city on the western coast of Mediterranean sea, gave his name to the city �Attalia�, today's Antalya. The city was bounded to the Roman Empire after death of Attalos III and the to Byzantium beginning from the 4th century. As with the Seljuk's domination of the city in 1207 the Turkish-Islamic period had begun and the region had been under the sovereignty of Ottoman State towards the end of the 14th century.
The Short History of The Museum
At the end of the First World war, during the time, Antalya was under the military occupation of Italy, the Italian archeologists, started to carry the archeological values the had found in the rums of the center or the environment to the Italian Embassy, which they claim to do it in the name of civilization. To prevent these initiatives, Süleyman Fikri Bey, the Sultani teacher had applied to the Antalya post and jurisdiction of mutasarrıf in 1919 and made himself appointed as voluntary officer of antiquities and firstly tried to establish the Antalya Museum by collecting the remains that were in the center.
The museum was firstly activated in Alâeddin Mosque in 1922, then in Yivli Mosque beginning from 1937, and then moved to its present building in 1972. It was closed to visit for a wide range of modifications and restorations in 1982, it was reopened for visit organized with the mentality of Modern museums in April 1985; after the restorations and display arrangements made by the General Directorate of Antique works and Museums.
The museum contains 13 display halls, children section and open galleries. The works that only belong to the region are generally presented chronologically and according to their subjects.
Natural History and Prehistory Hall
In addition to the three display windows in which the fossils of geological periods are presented; the chipped gravel, hand axes, diggers, bone equipment's found in the Karain Cave and that give stratigraphies from pre-Paleolithic period to Roman period are presented.
Karain is a cave stated in the 27 km northwest of Antalya and on the foots or Şam Mountain. Besides the remains which have been found in the 10,5 m thick soil fillings dating from the Paleolithic Period, there are also the tooth and skeleton remains of Neanderthal human beings that had lived in the Mesolithic Period.
Semayuk is the only center representing the previous Bronze Age, most of the works are founding from graves, the different sized pots, seals, brush handles, idols and especially presents for death are interesting with which a grave made of a big earthenware jar is presented. The most interesting side of this kind of burying method is placing the dead in the earthenware jar in the position of a baby in the womb of a mother.
The Hall of Small Works-I
The technical developments of ceramic art after the invention of pottery wheel, vase forms, different embellishment styles, are presented dating from 12th B.Cb to 3rd B.C. periods.
The two display windows in this section are for the interesting founding make-up materials and accessories.
The Hall of Gods
The gods in the saloon are the main God Zeus and Aphrodite, Tykne, Athena, Nemesis, Itygieia, Hermes, Dioskurs surround it and at the opposite side there are the Egypt oriented Serapis, Isis and his son Harpo rates. The status are the Roman copies dating 2rd A.D. of of their Greek originals and all of them were found Perge excavations.
The Hall of Small Works-II
The selected works of different cultural phases dating from 4 B.C. to 6 A.D. are presented in the display window. The vase given to the Princess of Egypt, Benerike, the Athena engraved silver plate, bronze Statues of Apollon and Herakles, the head of Attis, the marble Statue of Priopos representing fertility, the cooked earthenware and marble statues are outstanding values of the hall.
In the underwater display, window, there are founding that were found out antique sunken ships.
The Hall of Emperors
The most beautiful examples of portraits forming the main character of Roman sculpture, are presented in this hall. All of the statues were found in the Perge excavations.
There are many statues of 2-3rd centuries because the most magnificent period of the region in its historical development is this period.
There are portrait statues of Emperor Traion, Hadrian, Septimius Severus, Sabina, Faustina, Julia Domna, Julia Soemias, Plankia Magna and there are also statues of Three beauties and a belly dancer statue made of black and white marble.
The Hall of Grave Cultures
The two walled tombs in the hall belong to Domitias Filickas and his family. On the cover, the wife and husband arc shown to be lying. The Erases on the corners symbolize the happiness of a family. The other important walled tomb's, dating from 2 A.D., subject is Herakles. One of the walled tombs is the most striking example of Illegal trafficking of antique works. A piece of the walled tombs which was broken off and smuggled, was brought from USA and mounted to its place in 1983.
Appropriate to the original positions, grave steles sprinkled on the soil ground and ash pots are presented in the hall.
The Halls of Mosaics and Icons
The most important of the mosaics in the museum is the Mosaic of Philosophers which was found in Seleukeia excavation and on the border of which the names of famous thinkers of antique age such as Solon. Tukyclides, Lykurgos, Heredotus, Demostenes, Itesiodos and the names of orators, historians and mathematicians take place. On another mosaic corning from Seleukia, Orpheus, charming the wild animals with his pipe is described.
There are also corners shared for examples of local sculpture, chipping equipment, bronze sculpture techniques in this section.
The icons presented in this hall are collected from the region of Antalya and dating generally from 18th and 19th centuries.
The Hall of Coins
The 2500 year tradition of coining money dating from 6 B.C., its technique, economy is presented in an educational order in the hall. In the presentation, state coins of the Pamphilia, Pisidio, Likia regions, and generally regional coins of the chronological order of Classic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk ages and Ottoman Period are mainly focussed on.
There are also gold an silver treasures in this section.
Etnography Halls
The ethnography section of our museum is formed of two big halls and a passage combing these halls.
In the first hall; chinaware's, porcelains, religious works, signs, seals, charms, watches, ornamental goods, locks keys and clothes are presented.
Chinaware's arc Seljuk and Ottoman works. The Seljuk chinaware's are brought from Aspendos and they are also Kubadabat type and they were made 'sıraltı� technique in the middle of 13th century.
The Ottoman chinaware in square panel forms are examples of İznik works from 15-16-17 and 18th centuries.
Five porcelain plates are the productions of Yıldız Factory which had worked for a short time till the end of 1920.
Religious works, are objects that can always be seen in all of the regions of Anatolia. But the Seljuk Koran�ı Kerim which we can call it our regional work has a different importance.
Signs, seals, charm and watches are presented in one of the display windows. The charms are spell binding prayers and their charms are used for different purposes.
The ornamental goods are the best examples of accessories still used in Antalya.
There are also keys and locks presented as qualified works.
Clothes, purple velvets embroidered with silver tread and Yörük materials can be examined in two sections Yörük clothes socks, baggy trousers, long robes worn over baggy trousers, undershirts, purses, girdles and caps can all be thoroughly seen.
In the section ensuring the passage to the 2nd hall there are written plates such as hilyes, naats, icazets and katığs of our calligraphers.
The second hall is formed of four sections of carpets, Yörük materials, rooms and guns.
Besides the regional works and materials in this hall, the carpets of Uşak, Gördes, Ladik, Mucur, Bergama, Kula an Avonos are presented. He oldest carpet in our carpet collection is an Uşak carpet of 16th century.
The Döşemealtı carpet has an important place in the ethnography works of the region. Döşemealtı is the name of a place in the northeastern part of Antalya. The �Halelli� carpets are the oldest and traditional examples of the carpets among Döşemealtı carpets. These works are of nomad character and small sized. The sacks saddle boas, iğliks, prayer rugs, sills, cicims, sumaks which show the rug techniques of Antalya region, are presented with black tents as Yörük works.
A part of the hall is shared for a living, sleeping and both rooms of a modest Antalya home.
In a port of the display windows, arrows, bows, and knives; guns and rifles with flint stone and swords, equipment of dervish lodges; powder flasks, powder scales, and oil cans and also guns and supporting materials are presented.
Besides this, the weighing equipment's, goat hair spinners and counters such as Çulfalık, musical instruments, spoons can be emphasized as local equipment and works.
The pipe with cover, Yörük and zerk kemence and the pipe made from on eagle's wing bone are interesting works.
Spoons which are from Bademli village of Cevizli of Akseki are presented from its design phase to its completed and organized forms.
Children's Section
A hall in the entrance of our museum was organized as Children Museum, which is first in our country.
In the display windows of this section, there are different toys of children and moneyboxes of antique ages.
For making the children love the museums, antique works and drawing their attention; simple work restorations, and educational working possibilities of ceramic sculpture and drawing are provides and their works are presented, in the studio section.