Treasures From the Bottom of the Sea/Turkey
Maritime Museum Bodrum/Turkey
Sep 2, 2008 Inka Piegsa-Quischotte
If you wish to be fascinated by up to 2000 year old treasures, recovered from the bottom of the Aegean Sea, you should plan a visit to the Maritime Museum in Bodrum/Turkey.
Bodrum is located on Turkey`s Aegean coast, about 250 km south of Izmir. In recent years, it has become a tourist hot spot because of its lovely beaches, picturesque location, friendly locals and the site of, supposedly, Europe's largest open air disco, the Halicarnassos.
Sunbathing and dancing the night away apart, for those interested in history and artefacts, a visit to the Maritime Museum is a must. Somewhat inconguously, the museum is located within the compound of the imposing castle, which dominates the harbour and sloping town. Built by the Maltese Knights at around the same time as its better known (and bigger) counterpart on the Greek island of Rhodes, the castle is an attraction all by itself. Opening hours for castle and museum are from 9am to 5pm and the admission fee for the museum is about $17. Not cheap, but well worth the expenditure.
Making use of the grounds and huge, vaulted, half subterranean halls, a unique collection of artefacts, boat parts, amphoras etc. has been assembled and lovingly displayed below murals, depicting the life and trade of the area in ancient Greek times. Every single item has been recovered from the bottom of the sea and the state of preservation is unbelievable.
Color-coded signs and arrows make it easy to find ones way around.
The crowning glory of the collection is the amazing glass ware. A big, cavornous room, eerily and magically lighted with dimmed spotlights, is exclusively dedicated to these treasures. Etched and cut glasses, undamaged and unbroken after 2000 years, give an impression of the unrivalled craftsmanship of ancient times. The colors are as vibrant as if the pieces had been produced today.
Glass jewellery and beads adorned the ladies and were as much part of the trade as were the amphoras, filled with wine and olive oil and transported across the sea. Even every day items were made of glass. The most impressive one is a needle, complete with eye, about 3 inches long made of white and blue glass. Equally impressive are the lumps of pre-colored raw glass, which was then melted and blown into goblets, plates etc.
In another room, half of a trading ship has been reconstructed with cooking stove, beds, furniture and stowing facilities to give an impression of the hard and cramped conditions in which the merchants of the time plied their trade.
Taking in the surroundings of the castle and the lovely grounds with ancient trees, birds, waterfalls and peacocks makes it a unique museum experience, far removed from the more sterile atmosphere of grand museums like the Louvre or the British Museum.
On a more practical note: make sure you wear trainers with thick soles. The passes and stone steps are slippery and uneven. Refreshments and souvenirs are to be had from stalls within the grounds.
bodrum castle
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