New exhibition tells ancient Antioch’s discovery

ISTANBUL

'Antioch on the Orontes, Early Explorations in the City of Mosaics' tells the story of how archaeologists unearthed findings from the most brilliant period in the history of Antioch.

A new exhibition, “Antioch on the Orontes, Early Explorations in the City of Mosaics,” is presenting photographs from the first archaeological excavation seasons in Antakya, which was Antioch in antiquity.

Curated by Murat Akar, “Antioch on the Orontes, Early Explorations in the City of Mosaics” tells the story of how archaeologists unearthed findings from the most brilliant period in the history of Antioch, one of the most important political and cultural centers of the Hellenistic Orient and one of the great metropolises of the Roman Empire.

The show is being hosted by Koç University’s Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (RCAC).
The exhibition presents photographs from the first archaeological excavations carried out by Princeton University in Antioch between 1932 and 1939. The eight excavation seasons constitute the most comprehensive archaeological work in the region at the time, and the photographs on display document the discovery of the world-famous mosaics now in the Hatay Archaeological Museum and of other artifacts from Ancient Antioch. The photographs narrate the process of uncovering the finds that have shed light on the history of this important ancient city.

Moreover, the exhibition provides clues about the excavation methods and archiving techniques of the 1930s.

Curated to reflect the excavation diaries, the exhibition presents a selection from the Antioch Archives of Princeton University’s Department of Art and Archaeology; it also includes a video prepared by Princeton University’s Excavation Committee. The images document not only the archaeological excavations, but also daily life, local dress, as well as the urban and rural landscapes of 1930s Antioch.

A catalog, including a brief history of Antioch, a history of the excavations, as well as a selection of the excavation photographs is also accompanying the exhibition. The exhibition can be seen until April 20 in the gallery of the Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations in Istanbul.