Assyrian, Hittite and Phyrgian art. Ongoing. At the Kayseri Archaeological Museum in Kayseri, Turkey.

Assyrian, Hittite and Phyrgian art. Ongoing. At the Kayseri Archaeological Museum in Kayseri, Turkey.

Ceremonial jar in the shape of a Bull 1800 BCE

Roman sarcophagus depicting the adventures of Heracles 2nd-3rd century CE

Neo-Hittite Portal Lions 8th century BCE

The archaeological site of Kültepe is just 14 miles southwest of Kayseri and so much of the archaeological museum's space is dedicated to artifacts recovered from the site. Kaneš, the ancient city at the heart of the Kültepe archaeological site, was inhabited continuously from the Chalcolithic to Roman times and flourished as an important Hattian, Hittite and Hurrian city, containing a large kārum (merchant colony) of the Old Assyrian Empire from the 21st to 18th centuries BCE. Over 20,000 cuneiform tablets were recovered from the site and many of these as well as pitchers, vases, stamps, bowls, metalware and reliefs are displayed in the first hall of the museum. Phrygian ceramics are displayed in the corridor that connects the first hall to the second hall where items from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras are housed. These items include ornaments, figurines, marble sculptures, and a magnificent 2nd - 3rd century Heracles sarcophagus that was discovered in 1991 during construction of a new Cultural Center.
All Images courtesy of Dick Osseman.

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