Turkey has decided to step up efforts to recover artifacts belonging to ancient Anatolian civilizations and the Ottoman Empire from the UK’s world-famous museums, as news of the thefts and losses at the institutes spreads.
The British Museum was thrust into the spotlight on August 16 with the announcement that many items stored in its warehouses had been stolen, lost or damaged. At the time, the names of those responsible or the number of missing items had not been announced. It was later revealed that around 2,000 items had been lost, stolen or damaged.
Peter Higgs was identified as the suspect responsible for the incident and was fired in July. He had worked at the museum for 30 years in the field of Mediterranean cultures and sculptures and objects from the Hellenistic period. It was also determined that the theft incidents had been going on for years.
Foreign experts said the stolen artworks were being sold online. Some items awaiting sale on eBay were presented as evidence. The fact that the eBay seller’s username presented as evidence and Higgs’s username in
Following the theft reports, a letter was sent to the museum through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Zeynep Boz, head of the Anti-Smuggling Department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The letter requested information and the return of the museum’s Anatolian objects to Turkey.
Artifacts from Muğla
One of the most notable sections of the museum are the galleries between rooms 15 and 23, where objects from the ancient cities of Türkiye, mainly Muğla, are displayed. You can also find objects from different cities of Greece and Turkey in these galleries.
There are two galleries composed entirely of historical objects brought from Muğla. The remains of the “Mausoleum of Halicarnassus”, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, are exhibited in Gallery No. 21, named after this monument.
In addition, there are sculptures of King Mausolos and his wife Artemisia of Caria, as well as monumental statues of a giant and lions, as well as relief panels depicting battle scenes and various busts. Some marble relief panels were temporarily sent to museums in the United States.
THE Halicarnassus Mausoleum is connected to the “Monument des Néréides” gallery by a corridor. In this gallery, the parts of the monument have been meticulously reassembled and also display other objects brought from the ancient city of Xanthos to Muğla.
Visitors to the British Museum are greeted by two lion sculptures inside the main entrance. After passing these two lions, from excavations of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, visitors can reach the central area of the museum known as the “Second Great Courtyard.” Here the great Lion of Cnidus can also be seen.
Another sculpture taken from Cnidus in the Datça district of Muğla and imported to the United Kingdom is the statue of Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Sword of Sultan Selim III
Sultan Selim III’s sword was also among the items sold to the museum by “donor” Edward Beghian. However, there is a lack of information on the provenance of many items donated by prominent figures in the past.
In addition, the British Museum houses many other historical artifacts from Turkey, such as the bronze head of a statue of Aphrodite from Gümüşhane, the unpublished statue of King Idrimi from Hatay and many more.
Eyüp Sultan Tiles
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, on the other hand, captivates its visitors as a museum housing works of art from around the world.
The museum’s collection spans 5,000 years and, like the British Museum, consists of objects acquired through donations or purchases from collectors and dealers around the world.
Ceramics and portraits of Ottoman sultans are among the V&A’s most notable Turkish artifacts. The museum also exhibits a portrait commissioned by Mehmed the Conqueror from the Italian artist Gentile Bellini. Visitors can also see many drawings of Ottoman sultans in the museum.
The museum also has sections dedicated to Turkish art, including carpets and textiles, and also displays ceramic tiles. All of the tile panels exhibited in the museum come from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari tomb, Edirne Palace and Piyale Paşa Mosque.
Another notable feature is a complete tiled fireplace from the Fuat Paşa mansion in Istanbul.
The Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford, with a history spanning 350 years, has an extensive collection of Turkish ceramics, drawings, paintings and archaeological objects. Out of around 120,000 articles, around 1,700 have links to Turkey.
