○ Period: October 9, 2012-January 27, 2013  (Closed on Mondays)
○ Venue: Busan Museum 
○ Tickets: 10,000 won for adults/ 9,000 won for middle and high school students / 7,000 won for elementary students / 5,000 won for children
   5,000 won for 65-year-olds and over
○ Opening Hours: 9a.m.-8p.m.    
○ For more info.: 051)610-7142

Since 2008 the NMK has been hosting a series of exhibitions highlighting the world’s greatest civilizations, which have proved very popular with the public. The latest in the series the Civilizations of Turkey: Emperors in Istanbul offers visitors the rare chance to view the largest collection of Turkish cultural artifacts ever exhibited in Korea.

Standing at the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations, Turkey developed a rich and flourishing culture with religious diversity. A peninsular nation where the Bosphorus Strait forms the boundary between the Asian and European continents, it can be divided into the Asian side, Anatolia, which comprises the greater part of the nation, and the European side, Thrace. From ancient times, the cultural and historical progress of Turkey has been driven by Thrace. Thanks to these geographical characteristics, Turkey retains the legacies of various cultures including the ancient Hittites, the Greek and Roman Empires, the East Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, which flourished in Istanbul.

The exhibition will feature important Turkish treasures from the Topkapi Palace Museum, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, to be shown in Korea for the first time. The exhibition includes 184 artifacts, including numerous works from ancient civilizations that are well known through myths such as Troy, Phrigia, and Hittite, as well as fine Greek and Roman sculptures, and national treasures from the court of the Ottoman sultans. Divided into four parts—the Ancient Civilization, the Greek-Roman Civilization, the Eastern Roman Civilization, and the Ottoman Empire—the exhibition will give visitors the chance to see for themselves the splendor and brilliance of Turkish culture and civilization, marked by its ethnic and religious diversity. 

Part 1 Hittites and Ancient Civilizations

Stag Statuette

Bronze, 3000 BCE, AAMM

Endowment Document by Hattushili I

Hittite, 1586 BCE – 1556 BCE, terracotta, AAMM

This ancient Hittite cuneiform tablet is a document about a bequest, with a seal stamped at the center of the document. Unlike other endowment documents of which the grantor was the king, this tablet was awarded by the king’s representative, Tutula. 

Jug with Trefoil Mouth

Phrigian, 800 BCE, bronze, AAMM

This jug was found in the Tumulus Midas Mound at Gordion, Turkey, thought to be the tomb of the Phrygian King Midas.

Part 2 Alexandros and the Hellenistic World

Alexander the Great

Hellenism, 3rd century BCE, marble, İAM

Excavated in Kos Island, Greece, this marble head of Alexander the Great is made larger than the actual size of a human head. Its hair resembles the flying mane of a lion, and the contrast between light and shade is emphasized, both of which are characteristic of Hellenistic sculpture. A separate stone was used for the missing part above forehead, which is presumed to have been topped with a crown or a helmet.

Part 3 Constantinus I and Eastern Roman Empire

Constantinus I

East Roma, 4th century, marble, İAM

Compared with massive and solemnly faced sculptures of the earlier period, this marble head of Constantine I (r. 306 CE – 337 CE), a Roman emperor, is meticulously sculpted and appears to have portrayed the emperor in his middle age. There are signs at the back and the ears that a metal crown was originally placed on the head.

Part 4 Sultan, the Ottoman Emperor

Koran

Ottoman, 1470, Ink, pigment and gold on paper, TİEM

This book was made in Istanbul during the reign of Mehmed II (1432  – 1481). On the cover is stamped the seal of Sultan Bayezid II (r. 1481  – 1512), to whom the book belonged.

Sabre of Sultan Sİleyman I

Ottoman, 1551-1552, Iron, gold, diamond, wood and leather, TSM

This sabre was made for Sultan Süleyman I (r. 1520 – 1566), who presided over the apex of the Ottoman Empire’s power in his reign of 40-odd years. A total of 11 diamonds are embedded on the engraved gold plate of the hilt, and the blades are inlaid in gold with Arabic inscriptions. One blade is engraved with a Koranic verse, and the other blade with the inscription that Allah will grant victory to Sultan Süleyman.

Turban Ornament

Ottoman, 17th century, gold, diamond, pearl, rudy, and emerald, TSM

This turban ornament is interlaced with teardrop diamonds and emeralds, pearls and rubies. The lower part that goes into the turban is decorated with a plant pattern enameled in green, red and white colors.

Koran Chest

Ottoman, 16th – 17th century, wood, mother of pearl and turtle shell, TİEM

In the Ottoman empire, Koran was often dedicated to mosques or mausoleums of kings and pashas, and this Koran Chest was made to store the Koran dedicated to the mausoleum of Sultan Mehmed III. The dome on top is decorated with mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell and inlaid with Koranic verses at its bottom. The main body has four drawers decorated with mother-of-pearl, in which Koran was divided into 30 parts and stored.

Stand for Coffee Cup

Ottoman, 19th century, gold, diamond and silver, TSM

These coffee cup stands are for placing small turkish coffee cups on them. Originally, one set consisted of a dozen stands. Made of gold covered with red enamels, the stand has silver ornaments studded with diamonds of varying sizes. 

Silver Ewer and Silver Basin

Ottoman, 19th century, silver, TSM

This silverware set was used in the Ottoman royal house for hand washing before and after meals and before praying. The Topkapi palace has various sets of wash ewers and basins made of gold, silver, ceramic and crystal.

Rock Crystal Ladle

Ottoman, 17th – 18th century, crystal, gold, ruby and emerald, TSM

This Ladle has the bowl part that resembles a leaf. The handle is decorated with golden roses, on top of which rubies and emeralds are added.