When you want to communicate with someone that lives across the country, you get on your laptop or cell-phone. Connections happen instantly without much effort. Imagine if you were alive 2,500 years ago. If you wanted to communicate then, it was difficult. The leaders of the time had to figure out how to spread messages […]
In every language, the word sweet implies not just flavor but pleasant, agreeable and happy things. In Turkey, not just the word sweet but the word halva “Turkish: helva” has a similar metaphorical significance. Helva is foremost among the many sweets and puddings which form such a considerable branch of Turkish culinary culture, and also […]
“Allah Allah illalah May we prosper Our patron is Hamza the wrestler Our ancestors were wrestlers Two valiant men take the field One blond one dark Both seek the prize Do not despair when down Do not boast when uppermost When above do not let go Meet leg trip with leg trip Send a prayer […]
Istanbul has been called “the city of the future.” Turkey’s biggest city is known for its culture, beauty and complex history. It’s not a mystery why millions of people visit every year. Traveling anywhere, especially to a place filled with sights, can be overwhelming. There are some experiences that you won’t want to miss. The […]
Istanbul is a city that connects Eastern and Western cultures. It’s the only city in the world where people have worshipped in peace in mosques, synagogues, and churches peacefully. The cities multi-cultural history and respect for an individual’s right to worship freely is a model for the rest of the world. On November 25th, 2001, […]
The next time you visit Turkey, you should get out of Istanbul for a little while and visit Cavdarhisar in the Kutahya Province. It might seem that there’s nothing remarkable about this location, but here you’ll get a glimpse into history few ever see. On top of a high plateau stands an ancient temple that […]
They began to form as the red-hot ball of the infant planet Earth gradually cooled. Stones were the first permanent substances, preceding every other inanimate and animate entity, and will continue to exist until the end of the world. Deciphering the traces they bear of lives measured in billions of years reveal the story of […]
Four years ago, while digging the foundations of a new building at Yokusbasi in Bodrum, an ancient tomb was discovered. When archaeologists lifted the 700 kilo stone lid of the sarcophagus they saw the perfectly preserved skeleton of a woman. She was wearing a gold diadem in the form of a myrtle branch and flowers […]
The documents which give information about the 13th century Queen Puduhepa, wife of the Great King Hattusili III (1275-1250 BC) are prolific. Her fascinating personality and strength of character are attested in numerous letters, prayers, sacrificial and ritual texts from Bogazkoy and Ugarit. There also exist a number of official documents concerning the duties of […]
Archery was for centuries Turkey’s traditional sport, and also played a central role in Islamic culture. The use of the bow and arrow as a weapon by the Turkish horsemen of Central Asia goes back far into the mists of time. Only after the invention of firearms did the bow and arrow gradually lose its […]
