The Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Bodrum is a world-class museum, the main exhibitions of which show the exhibits recovered by archaeologists from the waters of the Aegean Sea. In addition to the extremely interesting exhibitions, the museum's great attraction is its location - in the magnificent St. Peter's Castle, the former stronghold of the Order of St. John in Bodrum.

History of the museum

The history of the Museum of Underwater Archaeology is inextricably linked to the history of St. Peter's Castle. After the Italian army left the fortress in 1921, the fortress was abandoned for about 40 years.

In 1959, the Turkish government provided the city of Bodrum with the funds necessary to carry out repairs to the fortress walls. At the same time, the first historical objects extracted from the sea were placed within the castle grounds, including ancient amphorae found by sponge divers and exhibits obtained by the pioneers of underwater archaeology - Peter Throckmorton, Mustafa Kapkin, and Honor Frost, during their underwater research in 1958.

In 1962, an official decision was made to use the castle as a huge museum facility. The first director of the museum was Haluk Elbe. The restored St. Peter's Castle opened its doors to visitors on November 6, 1964. Initially, the institution operating there was simply called the Bodrum Museum. In 1981, this name was changed to a more reflective one, and since then, the Museum of Underwater Archaeology has been operating in Bodrum.

Director Elbe carried out many renovation projects of the castle itself and contributed to the beautification of its grounds by turning them into a museum garden. The collection of lush vegetation that now grows in the fortress includes almost all species of trees and shrubs characteristic of the Mediterranean area.

Under the leadership of the second director of the museum, Oğuz Alpözen, the Bodrum Castle implemented the concept of a 'living museum', which contributed to the popularization of the museum in the country and abroad. In 1995, the Museum of Underwater Archaeology was among the twelve finalists for the European Museum of the Year Award and received the Special Recommendation Certificate 1995 as an honour.

Currently, under the management of director Yaşar Yıldız, the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology is one of the most magnificent museums in Turkey, on a par with the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara and the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul. At the same time, it is the leading museum in the country dedicated to underwater archaeology, and many people consider it to be one of the world's top museums of this type. The museum is managed by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, but all exhibitions are supervised by the Institute of Underwater Archaeology, an American non-governmental organization with offices in Bodrum and Texas.

Exhibitions

Officially, the Museum of Underwater Archaeology has 14 separate exhibitions, most of them directly related to shipwrecks found in nearby waters. Each wreck on display in the museum is named after the place where it was discovered. Objects recovered from the ships form an inseparable part of the exhibition.

Late Bronze Age Shipwreck Exhibition

The Late Bronze Age Shipwreck Exhibition (tr. Geç Tunç Çağ Batıkları) includes three shipwrecks, dating from the 16th to the 12th century BCE. The exhibition hall is located near the English Tower, on the southeastern side of the castle.

The oldest exhibits in this collection, from the ship known as the Ṣeytan Deresi wreck (tr. Ṣeytan Deresi Batığı), are also the oldest specimens in the collections of the Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Fragments of the ship itself have not been discovered - researchers assume that it lost part of its cargo when it hit the rocks and itself was smashed on the shore.

Underwater research began in 1973, when the Institute of Underwater Archaeology recovered two large vessels and many ceramic fragments from the seabed. These vessels were identified as so-called pithos, or huge clay containers for food. Their shape resembles similar vessels from the Minoan period, and based on comparisons with pottery found in Beyçesultan, Troy, and Crete, their age has been determined to be 1600 BCE.

The most famous ship in this exhibition is the Uluburun shipwreck (tr. Uluburun Batığı, dating from the 14th century BCE. The wreck of the ship, lying in the sea waters about 10 km southeast of Kaş, was found in 1982 by a sponge diver from Yalıkavak, Mehmed Çakir. The "metal biscuits with ears" sketched by him were identified by archaeologists as the bars made of copper and tin with a characteristic shape, which may have been used as a means of payment.

The director of the Bodrum Museum at that time, Oğuz Alpözen, decided to send a team of archaeologists to the wreck site. After this initial reconnaissance expedition, eleven archaeological campaigns were carried out between 1984 and 1994, each lasting 3–4 months. During these campaigns, divers went underwater more than 22,000 times. Their research uncovered one of the most magnificent collections of Late Bronze Age objects ever recovered from the Mediterranean. Since the end of the underwater work, archaeologists have focused their efforts on preserving the ship and studying the discovered objects.

The ship found in Uluburun was about 15 meters long, and its cedar construction resembles later ships built by the Greeks and Romans. Its probable route ran from a port in Cyprus or Syria to Greece, where the cargo was supposed to reach one of the Mycenaean palaces. Among the items recovered from the wreck, it is worth mentioning 10 tons of copper bars, a ton of pure tin bars, 150 pieces of glass bars, Mycenaean ceramics, weapons, vessels, food products, jewellery. and Egyptian seals, including the seal of Queen Nefertiti. In total, it was possible to catalogue over 18 thousand items and many fragments, including elements of the ship itself.

In the exhibition hall dedicated to the Uluburun shipwreck, the interior of the ship and the place of its discovery have been recreated. The most interesting of the discovered objects are shown in the display cases. Additionally, the exhibition is enriched by the photos taken during the work of the team of archaeologists.

The third ship whose cargo is displayed in this exhibition hall is the Gelidonya Cape Shipwreck (tr. Gelidonya Burnu Batığı), dating from the late 13th century BCE. The assemblage of objects carried by the ship at the western entrance to the Gulf of Antalya was discovered in 1954 by Kemal Aras, a sponge diver from Bodrum. Four years later, he described his discovery to the American journalist and amateur archaeologist Peter Throckmorton, who located the wreck and reported its existence to the University of Pennsylvania Museum.

The wreck was studied in 1960 by George Bass of the University of Pennsylvania. This was the first underwater archaeological work carried out in Turkey, the first wreck survey conducted entirely underwater, and the first led by an archaeologist-diver.

Most of the items found there are related to the production of bronze tools. A large part of the cargo was scrap metal from Cyprus, which was to be processed, as well as copper and tin ingots. The exhibits found within the wreck, including the items belonging to its crew, revolutionized our knowledge about the Late Bronze Age. As a result of this discovery, researchers had to re-examine Egyptian tomb paintings and tablets from the Near East, and it turned out that the role of traders from this area was much more important than previously thought.

Before the study of the Gelidonya shipwreck cargo, it was believed that the Minoans had a monopoly on maritime trade in the eastern Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age, and that Phoenician sailors did not develop their activities until the Iron Age. Based on these old beliefs, the Odyssey was even dated to the 8th century BCE, because of the frequent mentions of Phoenician sailors and blacksmiths by Homer. Meanwhile, the personal items of the crew found in the Bay of Gelidonya have been identified as originating from Syria and Egypt, with entirely different characteristics than Minoan objects. This indicates that the entire ship came from Phoenicia.

Exhibition in the castle chapel

Inside the former chapel of St. Peter's Castle there is now an exhibition related to a Byzantine ship, known as the Yassıada shipwreck (tr. Yassıada Batığı). The island of Yassıada is located between Turgutreis and the Greek island of Pserimo. Its surroundings are characterized by a reef that extends from the southwestern corner of the island for a distance of 200 meters. This reef has caused countless shipwrecks, and the seabed in its vicinity is strewn with cannonballs mixed with Roman amphorae and other objects from various historical periods.

In the period from 1961 to 1964, an expedition led by George Bass examined a sunken ship, located 75 meters to the south of the island. Its remains and cargo were found at a depth of 32 to 39 meters. It was a merchant ship, 19 meters long and just over 5 meters wide. Based on the latest coin found among the cargo, dated to 626 CE, it was determined that it was a Byzantine ship from the 7th century CE.

The cargo arrangement carried by the ship was perfectly reflected by the accumulation of amphorae and iron anchors on one side of the ship and kitchen utensils and the remains of a hearth - on the other side.

The exhibition consists of a miniature model of the ship in cross-section and a larger, reconstructed part of the hull. These models give an idea of ​​the appearance of the ship and the method of transporting goods. Additionally, the most interesting exhibits recovered from the seabed are displayed in display cases.

Exhibition in the French Tower

On the ground floor of the French Tower there is an exhibition related to the wreck of the ship from Cape Tektaş (tr. Tektaş Batığı). The ship was found and examined in 1999-2001 with financial support from the Institute of Underwater Archaeology by an international team of researchers, students, and volunteers.

The wreck rested at the bottom of the sea along the coast of the Aegean Sea, between the famous resort of Çeşme and the fishing village of Sığacık. This part of the coast is considered one of the most dangerous in the entire Mediterranean basin: sharp, rocky cliffs tower over the waters, and strong winds beat against the coast.

The location of the ship was identified in 1996 during the annual search for wrecks carried out by the Institute of Underwater Archaeology. Dating, carried out based on the found amphorae, indicated that the ship was from the 5th century BCE. In addition to the traces of wine, the amphorae showed traces of a tarry substance of plant origin. Researchers analysed its exact composition and speculated whether this tar was intended to be used to repair the ship or to flavour the wine.

The Tektaş wreck exhibition in the French Tower includes amphorae, marble disks that were most likely talismans, and kitchenware from the ship. The room is also decorated with photographs taken during the archaeological work.

Amphorae Exhibition

A rich collection of amphorae from various geographical locations and historical periods is scattered around the grounds of St. Peter's Castle. A significant part of this exhibition is located in the so-called Amphora Park, stretching along the western walls of the fortress. The second cluster of amphorae is located on the ground floor of the Serpent Tower. In addition, individual amphorae decorate the castle gardens in various places.

In the Amphora Park, in addition to the vessels themselves, there are information boards on trade in the Mediterranean basin in ancient times. The history of amphorae, the types of goods that were transported in them and regional differences in the appearance of these vessels are explained. The exhibition is complemented by a large map and illustrations showing, among other things, the firing of amphorae in a kiln and their loading onto a ship.

The Carian Princess Hall

The Carian Princess Hall is located behind the French Tower. This exhibition recalls the last days of greatness of the ancient city of Halicarnassus, once the capital of Caria and now a resort town known as Bodrum.

The origins of this exhibition hall date back to 1989, when a construction crew digging the foundations for a new building in Bodrum stumbled upon an ancient structure. Work was suspended, and subsequent archaeological excavations uncovered a burial chamber containing an intact sarcophagus containing the remains of a woman. The well-preserved skeleton was surrounded by gold jewellery and ornaments, indicating the wealth of the buried person. Initial dating indicated that she lived in the late Hellenistic period, which caused great excitement among researchers and speculation that the tomb belonged to the last Carian ruler - Queen Ada.

Due to the great significance of this discovery, methods rarely used in the archaeological world, taken from forensic medicine, were used. Thanks to this, it was possible to reconstruct the face of the buried woman, and an examination of her teeth allowed to determine her approximate age at the time of death at 44 years. Final identification of this person with Queen Ada was not possible, but it is assumed that she was a Carian princess or a person from a very wealthy and influential family. A museum exhibition prepared in her memory was opened in 1993.

The English Tower Exhibition

The interior of the English Tower has been recreated in the spirit of the medieval era. The room is decorated with banners and pennants, weapons and armours, and ship models. The exhibition is complemented by a stuffed lion's head and flags of the Ottoman land forces and navy, ranging from the times of Suleiman the Magnificent to the present. Currently, this room is used for special occasions, during which invited guests are served by museum staff dressed in medieval costumes, accompanied by music from that period.

Turkish Bath

The Turkish bath building on the castle grounds is relatively new. According to the account of a Turkish traveller named Evliya Çelebi, who visited Bodrum in 1671, there was no bathhouse in the castle at that time. Many historians point to the late 19th century as the period of construction of this institution. After World War I, the bathhouse fell into ruin, but was subsequently restored in a way that reflects the features of a significant Turkish bathhouse building.

The exhibition on the premises of the bathhouse was opened to visitors in 1991. It presents the Turkish tradition of bathing. Items related to the use of the hamam are displayed here.

Glass Wreck Hall

Near the entrance to the castle grounds, there is the exhibition hall of the so-called Glass Wreck (tr. Cam Batığı). It exhibits the remains of a ship from the early 11th century CE, found near Marmaris, in the natural harbour of Serçe.

The wreck of this medieval ship was discovered and examined by the employees of the Institute of Underwater Archaeology and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology. It was determined that the ship sailed around 1025 CE from the Syrian coast, which was then under the rule of the Islamic Fatimid dynasty. The ship carried a diverse cargo, but the largest part of it (about 3 tons) was broken glass. It is believed that the glass was to be delivered to glass workshops located in the territories belonging to Byzantium, perhaps in Crimea or the lower reaches of the Danube. The ship was only 16 meters long and its flat bottom was adapted for river navigation. The finds from the Glass Wreck have provided archaeologists with valuable information on Islamic pottery, helping to date similar objects from other sites.

The exhibition hall contains the remains of the ship itself, its anchors and some of the goods it carried, including glass, clay and metal vessels, and weapons.

Glass Exhibits Hall

Near the Italian Tower, there is a building housing an exhibition of glass objects. It is said to be the fourth-largest collection of antique glass objects in the world. The exhibits showcase the objects from the 15th century BCE to the 14th century CE, including Mycenaean glass balls, Roman bottles, and Islamic weights. The objects come from excavations conducted in Turkey (including from Stratonicea and Kaunos) and from the wrecks of examined ships. The exhibition hall is darkened and specially lit to protect the exhibits and bring out their beauty.

Coin and Jewellery Hall

The exhibition of coins and jewellery adjacent to the Glass Exhibits Hall aims to present the real purchasing power of the money on display. Information about their value in terms of basic food products and the wages of unskilled workers from a given period of history is provided along with the exhibited coins. The exhibition also shows the monetary and weight systems once used in Asia Minor, with particular emphasis on the area of ​​Caria.

Additionally, the exhibition includes ancient Carian jewellery, which is displayed in a way that illustrates how it was worn. Gold ornaments found during excavations conducted at the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus were placed on fragments of clothing from the 4th century BCE.

Secret Museum in the Serpent Tower

Since ancient times, the serpent has been a symbol of doctors and healers. Therefore, it is believed that the Serpent Tower of St. Peter's Castle may have been a hospital during the time of the Hospitaller Order. Currently, it houses the so-called Secret Museum, an exhibition of objects related to medicine.

Commander's Tower

One of the fruits of the efforts of the former director of the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Oğuz Alpözen, to create a 'living museum' was the reconstruction of the southwestern tower of St. Peter's Castle. Today, its interior reflects the appearance of the commander's quarters from the period when it served as a prison. The exhibition officially opened in 1999, 84 years after the tower was destroyed by a naval bombardment by the French Navy.

The exhibition includes personal items that once belonged to the last Ottoman commander of the fortress, Colonel İbrahim Nezihi. They were donated to the museum by the commander's daughter, Mrs. Neriman Ata. She also attended the grand opening of the exhibition, which coincided with the 77th anniversary of her father's death.

Castle dungeons

If you look between the Serpent Tower and the German Tower, you can see two smaller towers located by the castle moat. They are known as the Gatineau and Caretto Towers. The Gatineau Tower was used as a dungeon and torture chamber from 1513 to 1522.

On the outside wall of the Gatineau Tower there are three coats of arms, the central one belonging to Grand Master Emery d'Amboise, while the coats of arms on the sides are the family symbols of Jacques Gatineau - the commandant responsible for the construction of the tower. There are 23 steps leading down to the interior, and above the inner door there is a Latin inscription reading Inde Deus Abest (meaning Here God is absent). There are shackles attached to the dungeon walls, a ball and chain lies on the floor, and a gallows hangs from the ceiling.

Additional exhibitions in the castle garden

The extensive grounds of St. Peter's Castle, in addition to the museum exhibitions in the interior chambers, house many artefacts spread throughout the castle gardens. Among them, the finds from Labraunda, an ancient Carian city located about 15 km north of Milas, stand out.

In addition, the castle grounds serve as a place for temporary exhibitions. For example, in 2013, in the area of ​​the former castle chapel, an interesting collection of wood carvings by Funda Gözde was exhibited.