some articles about recent works done in the archaelogical sites in Turkey

The Hittite Connection

The following is a part of an article written by German archaeologist Manfred Korfmann (the University of Tübingen) who has led the excavations at the site of Hisarllk/Troy in northwestern Turkey for the past 16 years:

Although Troy is in Anatolia, Carl Blegen, who directed excavations at the site in the 1930s, regarded Troy VI/VIIa as a Greek settlement. The idea of a Greek Troy, one that had also been entertained by Schliemann, became firmly established. These excavators had come from Greece to Troy, both literally and figuratively, and later returned to Greece, and were biased, most likely unconsciously, in their outlook. However, until the 1930s there was very little archaeologically within Anatolia that might have been compared with Troy, and certainly not in western Anatolia.

We know today, from our own excavations and even from earlier ones, that in all main respects, Bronze Age Troy had stronger ties with Anatolia than with the Aegean. We've learned this from the tons of local pottery and small finds, such as a seal with a local hieroglyphic inscription, as well as the overall settlement picture, mud-brick architecture, and cremation burials. Research by Anatolian specialists has shown that what we today call Troy was in the Late Bronze Age the kingdom of Wilusa, powerful enough to conclude treaties with the Hittite Empire; even the Egyptians seem to have been familiar with the city. Furthermore, according to Hittite records, there were political and military tensions around Troy precisely during the thirteenth and early twelfth centuries B.C.--the supposed time of Homer's Trojan War.

for full article please see archaeology.org

The Etruscans: A Population-Genetic Study

By themselves, DNA sequences cannot tell us who the Etruscans were and where they came from, but they can provide crucial information on two related questions:

1. Were the Etruscans a single population, or were they simply a set of individuals who shared a language and a culture but not a common ancestry?

2. What are the genetic relationships between the Etruscans and modern populations, and do these relationships suggest any genealogical or migrational links between the Etruscans and other Eurasians?

To address the above questions, we obtained from museums and public collections fragments of 80 well-preserved skeletons from 10 Etruscan necropoleis (fig. 1), covering much of Etruria in terms of both chronology (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.) and geography.
…
To better compare the Etruscan gene pool with those of contemporary Italy, we treated these populations as hybrids among four potential parental populations, from the four corners of the area considered in this study (table 2). The likely contributions of each parental population, or admixture coefficients, are similar for the three modern Italian populations, but Etruscans differ in two aspects: they show closer relationships both to North Africans and to Turks than any contemporary population. In particular, the Turkish component in their gene pool appears three times as large as in the other populations.

for whole of the report please see: journals.uchicago.edu

The Voice of Anatolia and The Sixth Continent by The Fisherman of Halicarnassus (Cevat Sakir Kabaagacli)

Born in Crete, Cevat Sakir spent his childhood in Athens, Istanbul due to his fathers profession. After having his studies in London where he studied history, he returned to Istanbul where he earned his living by his writings. He was soon sentenced because of his writings critiquing the ruling government and he was sent into exile to Bodrum where he had to spend his days in the castle in custody during the day time. This was turning point in his life. But his punishment soon turned into a reward. He fell in love with this small town with its people. He soon became one of locals and joined to them. He was spending all his time with local fishermen and sponge divers to whom he helped great deal for he export of sponges. But his main concern was beautification of this town. He was ordering new plans and flower seeds from abroad and planting wherever he could till the day he left Bodrum. Finding himself in one of the greatest cities of antiquity, Halicarnasus,the birth place of Herodotus, the father of history, Cevat Sakir soon started writing about the history of Anatolia and Mythology. He was the first author who tried to prove the roots of Western Civilisation had started in Anatolia. He wrote many books on Anatolian Legends and Civilisations. He became a pioneer for Blue Voyage. His writings guided locals and foreigners for this dreamlike journey to history and beauty of Turkish Coastline. He used a nickname which he liked so much "The fishermen of Halicarnassos". He got married and he had four children. When his children grew up, because of their education, Cevat Sakir had to leave Bodrum. He sold his house and his boat and spend his last weeks by planting seeds and plant all over Bodrum. Cevats life ended in Izmir in October 1973. He is buried in a simple tomb in Bodrum on a hill overlooking the city to which he devoted his life for it and for its people.

"TROIA - wie es wirklich aussah" by Birgit Brandau, Hartmut Schickert, Peter Jablonka

The first two authors are thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the Troia Project since many years, the third is a longtime Troia-excavator and responsible for the special Troia-VR project.

Lavishly illustrated and solidly narrated : a fascinating time travel through the variations in the history of the legendary city that attracted generations of scientists.

For the first time Troia has been reconstructed based on the latest scientific results. Modern computersimulation provides images of imposing quality for each historic building phase. Recent photographs of today´s ruins are contrasted with exactly matching computer images. The narrative tells the history of the various epochs from the onset of settlement through the Troia of "Priam´s Treasure" and Homer´s time to the Roman empire.

"Troia - Archäologie eines Siedlungshügels und seiner Landschaft" by Manfred Korfmann

A long awaited presentation of the Troia-research addressing the general public had been conceived by Manfred Korfmann. Under editorial guidance by two team members (Diane Thumm, M.A. and Stephan Blum, M.A.) it is now available from the publishing house Philipp von Zabern.

Project Troy: The New Excavations at Troy. Troy (in northwest Turkey at the entrance of the Dardanelles) is one of the oldest and most famous archaeological sites. It had been thoroughly studied through two series of excavations - by Heinrich Schliemann and Wilhelm Dörpfeld from 1871-91 and by Carl W. Blegen (University of Cincinnati, Ohio) from 1932-38. The hill lies at the crossing between the Orient and southwest Europe, and between the Aegean and the Black Sea. Because of its nearly continuous occupation for more than 3000 years, this site is an important point of reference for the chronology of the ancient world from the early Bronze Age through the Roman Empire.

In 1988, after a hiatus of 50 years, the excavations at Troy were once again resumed under the direction of Dr. Manfred Korfmann from the University of Tübingen, with the cooperation of Dr. Brian Rose from the Department of Classics at the University of Cincinnati. Every summer since then a large international group, composed of archaeologists as well as representatives of many other academic disciplines, has conducted excavations.

Catalhoyuk: Excavations of a Neolithic Anatolian Hoyuk. This Web site is designed for those interested in the ongoing excavations at Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Its aim is to provide information about the activities of the Project and of the different aspects of the research being conducted at Çatalhöyük.

Tay Project: The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey. The TAY (Archaeological Settlements of Turkey) Project was set up to build a chronological inventory of findings for the cultural heritage of Turkey - an important component of World Heritage sites - and to share this information with the international community.

must-see films and must-read books to prepare you to your Turkey visit

"Crossing the Bridge: The sound of Istanbul" by Fatih Akin

This is a movie about the music that is currently being played in Istanbul. Istanbul was the center of the three Old World superpowers: the East Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Today, it is a megalopolis of almost 15 million. So it is to no ones surprise that a lot of music is being played in Istanbul, with a great variety of voices, styles, and influences from everywhere on the globe. The movie features different singers, instrumentalists and bands. Spoken comments from the musicians nicely illustrate the music being played, and the social context in modern Turkey. Furthermore, the movies shows urban scenery mainly from Istanbul which is very pleasant to watch.

This movie is strongly recommended for lovers of the music and culture of Turkey, the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East. It may also be worthwhile for those with a keen interest in the global effects of musical styles such as Rock and Roll or Hip Hop.

Great footage of Ceza, a Turkish rapper. Priceless performances by amazing Turkish musicians Orhan Gencebay, Sezen Aksu, Muzeyyen Senar. The gorgeous voice of Aynur, singing in Kurdish. And, amazing clarinet and signing of a romany gypsy group from Thrace. Last but not least, Istanbul bands mixing Turkish music and rock, as well as trance music -- Baba Zula, Orient Expressions, Duman, and others...

"Hamam" by Ferzan Ozpetek

This film is really a very subtle, literate story. Nothing hits you over the head, there's nothing to win or lose at the end, it's just characters and events unfolding and interacting within a languid pace. It's really a beautiful film, both in scenery, sentiment and depth of feeling.

If you've ever visited Istanbul or have plans to visit Istanbul you should see this film. One would expect to see the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque right off, but you never see them; the film chooses to see Istanbul through the charming back alleys and everyday people. The traditions of the country and the warmth of the people are ever-present in this film. Istanbul itself is like a character here, and its special charms are at the center of the story. If you visit there, you will understand why the characters become so captivated.

But this film only uses Istanbul and the Hamam as a vehicle for showing its characters ways of finding happiness and tranquility in one's life. The story is much more general and eternal. It shares that quality with literature; it is at once about these specific characters, and also about everyone, everywhere.

Hamam has been marketed as a gay/bisexual film and therefore many people missed the opportunity to see this fantastic film. Also known as: A Törökfürdö Hungary; Baño turco (Hamam), El Argentina; Bagno turco, Il Italy; Baia turceasca Romania; Hamam - Das türkische Bad Germany; Hamam - turkkilainen kylpylä Finland; Hamam: The Turkish Bath UK; Hamam: det tyrkiske badet Norway; Hamam: el baño turco Spain; Hammam, le bain turc France; Steam: The Turkish Bath USA; The Turkish Baths USA; Turkiska badet, Det Sweden.

"Birds Without Wings" by Louis De Bernieres (Author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin)

This is a truly great novel. It is set in Western Turkey in the early 20th century and concerns the events surrounding the first world war, the break-up and eventual dissolution of the Ottoman empire, and the effect that this has on the everyday inhabitants of a small town.

The story opens in Eskibahce and we are drawn into daily life through a series of anecdotes and tales told through the eyes of its various inhabitants. As the book progresses, the scene is cut more frequently to the historical events that are taking place, and as the book reaches its climax, we find ourselves totally engrossed in the war: the geopolitical struggles, the nationalist politics, the struggle between Greeks and Turks, and life in the trenches at Gallipoli.

The book achieves a superb balance between its gripping description of the history and politics of the time, and its equally gripping personal dramas being played out in this context. It explains the great tragedy that results ultimately in the deportation of the Turkish Greeks from Turkey and Greek Turks from Greece, with its attendant destruction of whole communities, the terrible consequences to individuals, and even the break-up of individual families.

To call this an "historical novel" is to understate the quality of the story-telling. There is some wonderful narrative here: the book creates its own folklore, marvellous tales, funny stories, sad stories, shocking stories, all embedded in this steam-rollering march of historical inevitability. We also meet some marvelous characters, who become like old friends as they come back time and again to contribute their little piece of the story. And here is another beautifully-executed technique - the stories overlap, as told by different people and seen from different points of view. In the mind of the reader is built a much richer experience of events when seen from so many different angles.

It's one of those books that is satisfying and interesting right from the outset. You know you are not going to be disappointed. It's original, it's intelligent, it's informative, and it's one of those books that you must not miss.

Art related links

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art: The museum, located in a converted warehouse in the Tophane district on the Bosphorus, is the first of its kind in Turkey.

The Great Palace Mosaic Museum: Located on the Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey, just opposite to the Hagia Sophia, the museum houses mosaics from the Byzantine period, unearthed at the site of the Great Palace of Constantinople.

Istanbul Museum of Graphics Arts: Located on the Asian side of Istanbul at Ünalan, it covers a six-storey, 2000 sqm building designed to serve various activities and purposes. The ground and lower two floors have an 1100 sqm potential area for exhibition, where the works in the museum’s permanent collection are displayed in an alternating fashion. On the first floor, continuing its production is Artess, Süleyman Saim Tekcan Studio. Ali Teoman Germaner’s Sculpture Studio is located on the second floor. The top floor is a multi-purpose area intended for art events and activities.

Travel related links

Middle Earth Travel: We are the, trekking, hiking, walking, climbing outdoors and archeology guides of Turkey. We are based in Cappadocia, a very special region which resembles a magical fairy tale land. The remains of the millions years ago volcanic eruptions, shaped by the wind and rain for thousands of years, have formed one of natures most spectacular masterpieces: Strange rock formations, called "fairy chimneys".

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Istanbul Apartment Flat rental, Stay in Apartment Flat (Marmara): property indexed on Homelidays.com, Holiday rental by owners

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