The Secrets of Mount Nemrut

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 03/30/2018 - 12:03

Turkish Archaeological News team proudly presents a new book devoted to Mount Nemrut National Park, loaded with fascinating facts, colourful photos, graphics, and plans. This book offers you a unique chance to discover the secrets of the long forgotten Kingdom of Commagene, its history and monuments. It is not only a history book but also a practical guidebook for everyone who wants to visit Eastern Turkey and enjoy the sunset in the company of monumental statues that have decorated the peak of Mount Nemrut for two millennia. The book is now available on Amazon as a handy ebook, to take it with you wherever you want.

Tucked away in the mountains of eastern Turkey, Commagene was just one of the numerous Hellenistic-era states that appeared after the short-lived empire of Alexander the Great collapsed and disappeared when the Roman Empire conquered Asia Minor. Commagene would be all but forgotten and only mentioned in history handbooks but for one fascinating detail - the monumental statues that one of Commagene's rulers had erected on the top of Mount Nemrut. Apparently a sign of this monarch's megalomania, the statues have survived and now lure the travellers with their mysterious history. Many a tourist saw the photos of this monument in the travel brochure or on a cover of a guidebook and decided on the spur of the moment to roam the vast distances of Turkey to witness the sunset and the sunrise in the company of these gigantic stone gods.

Byzantine Istanbul

Submitted by Jarek on Wed, 03/21/2018 - 19:29

The map presented in the article shows the location of the Byzantine-era monuments of former Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. By clicking on the marker, you get the name of the monument. Some of these structures are very well known, for example Hagia Sophia or the Basilica Cistern. On the other hand, there are also rather obscure locations where not much is visible for the visitors today. As the map is a work in progress, we would appreciate all the feedback - as we are willing to expand the map or make the necessary corrections. Hopefully, this simple plan will make the exploration of Istanbul much more enjoyable, while hunting for the traces of the Byzantine Empire.

Ayşe Kadın Mosque in Edirne

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 03/14/2018 - 08:47

Ayşe Kadın Mosque is one of these historical mosques in Edirne that are rarely visited by tourists. It was erected between 1468-1469 for Ayşe Kadın. It is believed that the builder responsible for the construction of this mosque was the Ottoman architect Hayrettin. His more famous work in Edirne is Sultan Bayezid II Mosque Complex.

Kilitbahir

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 10:29

Kilitbahir is a small town and fishing harbour in the southern part of Gallipoli Peninsula. Its importance for tourism is due to the presence of the vast Ottoman fortress and the existence of the ferry terminal that enables crossing the Dardanelles to the Asian shore.

February 2018 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Thu, 03/01/2018 - 08:57

The biggest archaeological news in February was the publication from a research team led by volcano biologist Hardy Pfanz explaining how Plutonium in Hierapolis - "Gate to Hell" - killed its victims with a cloud of deadly carbon dioxide. Moreover, the past month fell under the shadow of approaching inundation of Hasankeyf, one of the most fascinating historical sites in Turkey.