Turkey is a land which has been home to many civilizations, and even in its remotest mountains and valleys are found traces of a past going back thousands of years. Some of the civilizations are well known, but others still guard their secrets. Hundreds of archaeologists labor ceaselessly to discover them. With picks, spades, and […]
For thousands of years, Turkic people spread far and wide across Eurasia, but Mongolia is of particular importance in the study of Turkish history on account of the numerous ancient monuments which provide valuable evidence for archaeologists, linguists, and anthropologists. The inscriptions on these monuments are the earliest documents in the Turkish language and throw […]
Under a white carpet of snow, Cappadocia is, if possible, even more beautiful. Wandering through Guvercinlik Valley with its stone spires or climbing the icebound steps of Uchisar Castle, you feel as if you have come to a magical winter wonderland. In the still cold air, you can see your breath and hear the whisper […]
Theirs was a tranquil land. They engaged in no great battles that changed the course of history, boasted of no marvelous achievements, nor put up heroic stands against conquering armies that became the stuff of legend. Instead, they busied themselves in their fields and produced olive oil. Compared to their neighbors, the enterprising Ionians, they […]
The former Greek village of Kayakoy makes a striking impression on visitors, with its stone houses and churches, narrow streets, and spectacular setting. To get to this ghost town in southwestern Turkey, take the road from Fethiye towards Oludeniz Lagoon, and when you reach Hisaronu follow the signposts to Karymlassos. Five kilometers further on, you […]
The earliest known burials were carried out by Neanderthal man who lived between 150,000 and 60,000 years ago. These early human beings discovered how to use tools and control fire, and that they also buried their dead was proved by excavations in the Zagros Mountains in northern Iraq in the 1960s. Analysis of soil samples […]
Before the arrival of paddle steamers in Istanbul, ferry services on the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus were provided by the long narrow rowing boats of various types known as kayik. These graceful swift boats and their boatmen were a characteristic part of life in Istanbul. The largest and most magnificent of all these vessels […]
Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal is Turkey’s most prominent archaeologist, whose research is closely followed in the world of historical and archeological studies. During his long university career, he trained hundreds of young archaeologists desperately needed by a country overflowing with ancient sites left by scores of civilizations over the past twelve thousand years. As well […]
The city of Bursa, which lies at the foot of a great mountain in northwest Turkey, was once capital of the Ottoman Empire, and its historic buildings bear witness to an illustrious past. Here you can wander through the courtyards of hans where merchants exchanged their wares, and the covered bazaar whose shadowy passages smell […]
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 […]
