Antalya’s Necropolis Museum: Glass pathways to ancient world

ANTALYA

The Necropolis Museum in the southern province of Antalya, which was once used as a bus terminal and market area, takes its visitors on a historical journey through glass walkways following excavations conducted in the area.

Housing 866 tombs, which were unveiled as part of rescue excavations, Türkiye’s first necropolis museum continues to attract thousands of local and foreign tourists since its inauguration in November last year.

Located in the Muratpaşa district, the site, formerly known as the "Festival Bazaar and City Transportation Center," revealed tombs during excavation work for a business center and underground parking in 2008.

Archaeological teams led by the Antalya Museum Directorate conducted rescue work in the area between 2008 and 2011.

Through these efforts, numerous tombs spanning from the Hellenistic period to the Early Roman era were unearthed. Approximately 1,000 graves, including those identified during project applications in the Attaleia Necropolis area, were discovered.

After evaluating the findings from the tombs, historians determined that the Attaleia Necropolis was utilized for around 700 years, from the early 3rd century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. Many artifacts recovered from the site are now on display at the Antalya Museum.

The construction project, initiated in 2008, revealed not only remnants of ancient tombs during foundational excavations but also some remains believed to belong to the deceased.

Rescue efforts conducted by the Museum Directorate from 2008 to 2010 resulted in the discovery of 866 tombs, 1,018 inventory items and nearly 2,000 skeletons. The Necropolis area received a first-degree archaeological site designation on Feb. 22, 2011. Through a protocol signed on July 20, 2023, the Necropolis Museum was transferred from the municipality to the Antalya Museum Directorate.

As the final address of the Türkiye’s Cultural Road Festival organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Antalya Necropolis Museum opened last November as part of the festival and now invites visitors to an unforgettable journey through history.

Last year, several cities from the western province of İzmir to the southeastern city of Gaziantep hosted a large array of events consisting of exhibitions, concerts, talks and workshops with art lovers free of charge within the scope of the Cultural Road Festival.

The excavations, conducted by the Antalya Archaeology Museum and the construction supported by the municipality, showcase tombs dating back to the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C., as well as the 5th century A.D. In addition to the tombs, over 400 objects brought from the Antalya Museum are displayed at the Necropolis Museum. Walking through the excavation site on glass pathways and then observing the exhibited artifacts in the museum, visitors embark on a historical voyage.

"The museum is newly opened. I haven't explored it in detail, but people should come and see this place. They need to see that there were civilizations other than their own in the geography they inhabit," said Ahmet Eroğlu, one of the visitors to the museum.