Alanya Archaeological Museum
The Alanya Archaeological Museum displays archaeological and ethnographic artifacts. Located behind Damlatas Cave, this museum is worth a visit to learn about the history of Alanya and its rich historical heritage.
The museum is divided into two sections, one with displays of archaeological artifacts and the other with ethnographic items. The oldest artifact in the museum is a Phoenician stone inscription dating back to 625 BC.
The Heracles Statue
One of the most important pieces in the Alanya Archaeological Museum is a bronze statue of Heracles, which was made in the 2nd century BC. This statue is a work of great skill, and it is displayed in a separate part of the museum today.
The Heracles Statue at Alanya Archaeological Museum depicts Heracles with his famous club in his right hand and the fur of the Nemea lion in his left. The figure is also nude, as the Greeks considered male nudity to be the highest form of beauty.
The Heracles statue was found in 1967 at a mountainous site near Asartepe, northeast of Alanya. Historians believe that pirates brought it here as a trophy from the area they robbed.
The Hall of Anatolian Civilizations
The museum is one of the best places to get to grips with Turkey’s complex weave of history. The central hall houses reliefs and statuary, while the surrounding halls showcase artefacts from every significant archaeological site across Anatolia.
There are also some excellent artefacts from Alanya’s own history. There’s a Phoenician inscription from 625 BC, a tile with titles of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad and several tiles that have been found in the excavations at Alanya Castle.
The Hall of Coins
The Hall of Coins, located at the lower floor of Alanya Archaeological Museum, displays archaeological finds from different historical periods. They include bronze, marble, terracotta and glass artifacts, mosaics, works of art and ethnographic items, as well as ash boxes from the Archaic, Classical, Roman and Byzantine periods.
The oldest archaeological find in this section is a stone inscription in Phoenician language dating back to 625 BC. A letter from the Roman emperor found in ancient Syedra, a ship’s bronze diploma, a bronze statue of Heracles, and Seljuk tiles from the excavations of Alanya Castle Ostoteks are also displayed here.
The Museum also exhibits items from the history of Alanya, such as a telegram sent by Ataturk to his citizens in 1935. Kemal Ataturk’s personal belongings are also on display in the museum, along with photographs and other documents.
The Hall of Ethnography
The Alanya Archaeological Museum was opened in 1967 and has been displaying artifacts from various periods of Anatolian history. The museum has a rich collection of ash boxes, coins, bronze, marble, terracotta, glass and mosaic finds.
The museum also houses a large number of sarcophagi and ostotheks (boxes that contain the remains of the dead) from various periods of time. Some of these are even dated to the Phoenician era, which is one of the most ancient cultures that called this area home.
The Ethnography Department of the museum features objects such as Yoruk rugs, ala sacks, saddlebags, clothes, embroidery samples, weapons, daily use vessels, jewelry, writing sets and manuscripts that reflect the folkloric characteristics of the region. The section also includes a replica of an old Alanya room, recreated from the results of excavations.
