‘Coincidental’ artifacts draw tourists’ interest

BARTIN

Nearly 15,000 people have visited the Amasra Museum, which was reopened three months ago after a three-year restoration process in the northern province of Bartın’s Amasra district. The museum displays artifacts that have been unearthed by coincidence during construction works or excavations for different purposes.

Lots of artifacts from the Hellenistic, archaic, Classical, Roman, Byzantine, Genoese, Seljuk and Ottoman periods that have been unearthed during building constructions, landslides, drillings, road constructions or fishing are being displayed at the Amasra Museum.

The museum has four exhibition halls where sculptures, sculpture heads, relievos and steles as well as glass tear and scent glasses, gold and bronze accessories, which have been found in tombs, are on display.

The museum, which is also home to fishhooks, crosses, candles, weapons, bowls, rings and traditional dresses, draws great interest from local and foreign visitors.

Amasra entered UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative list in 2015 with its Amasra Castle.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Amasra Museum Director Baran Aydın said the 5,000-year-old district is one of the significant tourist spots in the country, adding that no archaeological excavations have so far been carried out in the district but all artifacts were found coincidentally.

Aydın said the museum reopened three months ago after a comprehensive restoration work.

“The museum has been redesigned and became one of the rare museums in Turkey. We did not have an archive but now we do. A research room was opened for archaeologists, engineers, architects and academics to work. The museum displays artifacts chronologically. We also use laser technology to complete the missing parts of some artifacts. We also have a room for ship wreckages. It is popular among visitors. Amasra has gained a museum at world standards after the restoration,” he said.

Aydın said some 15,000 people visited the museum in three months