Mausoleum of Ataturk, Kaymakli
Trip Start
Oct 25, 2007
1
6
13
Trip End
Nov 06, 2007
Cappadocia, Turkey
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
We get off the bus at the top of a hill and walk up to a large patio area with pieces of antiquities scattered about. It's like being in a statue cemetery. A good place for some fun photos I'm thinking.
Mufasta tells us to gather up and head to the building at the end of the courtyard. Not a large building, and probably not much time will be spent here, but I do like museums, and can usually find something that will interest me. The gift shop is first. That's a pass, except for a quick look from Julie . If the small exhibit at the end of the gift shop is all there is in this museum, then we are out of here in 5 minutes.
Mufasta is now in front and motioning us all down to the area. My jaw just dropped. And I can't believe the antiquities in this museum. On the walls are sections of stone wall carvings from ancient caves. They are vividly painted and their colors have not faded over time. We start in the Paleolithic age, over 2.5 million years ago, when people lived in caves, hunted and collected their food . The age is represented by the remains discovered in the Antalya Karain Cave. The stone and bone tools of the people of that Age are exhibited.
Neolithic age (8000-5500) During this age food production began and first settlements were established by the communities of this age, the artefacts of the age were discovered in two important centers of the age, namely Catalhoyuk and Hacilar are exhibited in the museum. The remains include the mother goddess sculptures, stamps, earthenware containers, agricultural tools made of bone.
Chalcolithic Age (Copper-Stone) (B.C. 5500-3000): In addition to stone tools, copper was processed and used in daily life during this age, and rich remains dating from this Age were discovered in Hacılar, Canhasan, Tilkitepe, Alacahoyuk and Alisar are exhibited in the museum.
Early Bronze Age (B.C. 3000-1950): The people living in Anatolia in the beginning of third millennium B.C. added tin to copper and alloy to copper and invented bronze. They also worked all metals of the age with casting and hammering techniques. Valuable metals, magnificent death presents discovered from royal tombs of Alacahöyük, ruins from Hasanoğlan, Mahmatlar, Eskiyapar, Horoztepe, Karaoğlan, Merzifon, Etiyokuşu, Ahlatlıbel, Karayavşan, Bolu, Beycesultan Semahöyük, Karaz-Tilki tepe constitute the rich Old Bronze Age.
Hittite Period (B.C. 1750-1200): The first political union in Anatolia in second millennium was established by the Hittites in the Kızılırmak basin. The capital city was Bogazkoy (Hattusa) and other important centers were İnandık, Eskiyapar, Alacahöyük, Alişar, Ferzant. Embossed bull figure containers, earthenware artifacts, tablets of government archives, seals in the name of the king can be seen.
Phyrgian Period.(B.C. 1200-700) : The Phrygians immigrated from the Balkans in the 1200s and acquired control over Anatolia, their center was Gordion. The works of art discovered in Gordion and its ruins are the best examples of the Phrygians and are exhibited in the museum.
Late Hittite Period (B.C. 1200-700) : Upon end of the Hittite Empire, some Hittite communities established province states in south and south-east Anatolia, and the Late Hittite Principalities period ensued. Malatya-Arslantepe, Karkamus, (Carchemish) and Sakçagözü are some important Late Hittite settlements.
Urartian Period (B.C. 1200-600) : The Urartian civilization reached an advanced architecture and mining technology in centers like Aluntepe, Adilcevaz, Kayalıdere, Patnos, Pat, Van, Çavuştepe and thrived during the same times as the Phrygians.
Lydian Period (B.C. 1200-546 The origin of Lydian art comes from the Bronze Age in which there were relations, friendly or hostile, between their ancestors and the Hittites. Lydians made spectacular progress in the Iron Age especially from the Gyges period to Croesus (685 BC to 547 BC). The exhibited artifacts mostly date from the 6th century BC.
Collections include Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine period artifacts from the first millennium, made of gold, silver, lass, marble and bronze.
I took a lot of phots, but there is no way that you can photograph every object in the museum. What attracted my attention, is the small divorce papers, the grocery list, the deed to a propery. These letters and documents are all intricately carved on small flat rocks. There were a lot of "how did they do that?" questions from our group, and other tourists. This is one museum to fully enjoy, you must have a guide, and you should allow for at least three hours. Every item is a "must-see." I wish we had more time here. We did get some time to "play" amoung the antiquites outside while waiting for our bus. This museum gets my vote as one of the best antiquities museums in the world.
Then a ride over the hill to see the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. From the photos online, it looked like a "can miss" tour, BUT once I stepped onto the property, I knew this would be impressive.
What first greets you are huge stone sculptures. Three women. The one in the back , holds her hands over her face. She is sobbing in grief for Ataturk. Two women hold a huge wreath. It's grain sheaves represent the abundate country. The woman on the left with a cup in her out stretched hand is asking for God's compassion for Ataturk.
Across the avenue is the Men's statue. One represents a Turkish soldier, the one with a book is a Turkish intellecutal youth. The third is is a Turkish peasant. They express the willpower and solemnity of the Turkish nation.
Just the size of these two groups of statues are impressive.
The statues are at the entrance of the Street of Lions. 12 pairs of lions, carved in the Hittite style line the 860 feet long bricked avenue. Soldiers are also in position along the avenue.
We were lucky enough to be in time for the changing of the guards. The Ceremonial plaza in front of the Ataturks tomb holds 15000 people.
On the opposite end of the tomb is a "window" wall. The views of town are framed in the wall supports. It's an overpowering site.
Then, the museum is a jewel for anyone interested in the life of Ataturk., however, no photos allowed here.
Julie wants an English book on the live of Ataturk. We're in the gift shop, and she has the sales girl showing her everybook offered, but nothing in English.
So outside we go to snap a few photos and while we're snapping away, Mufasta finds us. Seems we're ten minutes late for the bus. Oh well, won't get any more photos of the plaza.
Back on the bus. Mufasta is pointing out all the foreign embassys. I'm looking down at a grassy medial strip with over a dozen sleeping dogs. Then the variety of newly built houses and apartment buildings.
This country really is in an economic boom. What is striking me is the number of new developments. And each new development has at least two new mosques.;
South of Ankara, is the second largest lake in Turkey, Tuz Golu. Only 20 feet deep, much of this salt lake has dried up.
Mufasta is explaining the marriage proceedure. Women contribute the bedroom and furniture and kitchen appliences. No straight forward "lets get married and run off to Vegas" The son tells the mother, who then takes a few days to gently break this to the father. The father brings in some liquor, Raki. The familes meet. If someone is not happy, no marriage. The grooms family pays for the wedding, which is opposite of most cultures. The bride gets a lot of gold jewelry for wedding gifts. If she divorces, the gold stays with her. Sounds too complicated to me.
It's lunch at another rest stop on the highway. We like these stops, for the variety in the adjacent stores.
Elena has spotted the lunch photo. We're invited to "sit" with a very nice family.
After lunch, we stock up on cookies, candy and water for the long drive to Cappadocia.
Back on the bus, we're headed across more farm land. Almost three hours later, with the sun setting we arrive in Cappadocia's undeground City of Kaymakli. Mufasta has told us that these residences were not used as permant residences. During the seventh to tenth centuries, these well hidden undeground caves within the mountains were inhabited in times of the Arab invasion. Families and their livestock would retreat to these cold caves. A central ventelation system provided fresh air. Churhes, kitchens, dining halls, wine cellars, storage rooms, and living areas were carved out of these caves.
Kaymakli has five floors that have been excavated so far. Some caves held as many as 30,000 inhabitants. There may be more caves in the hillsides that have not been excavated.
Kaymakli and Derinkuyu (a larger cave with 8 floors) are the biggest of the underground cities.
Julie, Elena and I are up at the front and ready to explore. It's a bend-down-tour thru some of the tunnels. Even for Julie and I who would like to claim a height of 5 feet, but are still missing that inch.
Once you are in the rooms, the ceiling will accommodate a Professional basketball player.
The tunnels were built with defense in mind. Strategically placed huge round stone wheels can be dropped quickly to seal off a hallway, eliminating the enemies intrusion. Most of the tour is done thru the tunnels.
There are some stairs. This is not for those who are handicapped. And due to the narrowness of the tunnels, some larger bodies will not be able to do the full tour.
There is a place of "no return" where you will be instructed to turn around.
Kaymakli was one of my favorites so far. We believe that we are an advanced society, but to see how these people carved out a mountain in the 7th century, and designed a city, complete with venelation, within it is amazing.
Out of the underground city and some fast shopping time at the vendors stalls that are lining Kaymakli's entrance. Julie wants a Whirling Dervish statue. Elena needs batteries for her camera. I'm just walking along with them.
It's a quick drive to our hotel, the Vera Kaymakli Hotel.Nice to stay in the same hotel for two nights! We've got time to clean up and then down to dinner. We're all excited cause we are going to see the Whirling Dervishs and a dance presentation from all the regions of Turkey.
And, it's in an unusual place - an underground night club. The Yasar Baba's Restaurant and nightclub. This is a huge hall, with long tables angeled at the dance floor for viewing. Each region of Turkey has unique dances, and these professional dancers brought each dance to life for us.
Ethnic Turkish dancing is amazing. A belly dancer came down from the ceiling in a cage. She solicited male dancers from the audience, and the fun began. The men were required to "compete." To say it was hillarious is an understatement. Everyone was invited to a "fire dance" outside.
Food and drinks were brought to the tables. There were ample bottles of wine and Raki, Turkey's national drink. I'm not a licorice fan, so no Raki for me.
The wine was delightful, but I was so busy sitting in front of the table on the floor, trying to get decent photos of the dancers, that, the opportunity to sit and sip didn't happen.
Still, I was impressed with the quality of the wine. I never think of Turkey as a wine producer. The only problem with being at Baba's until after 11 is that we have a hot air balloon ride that we must be up for at 4am. Maybe I am getting too old for this.
We're back at the hotel by midnight. And in bed minutes later. I really hope I don't oversleep and miss the highlight of the trip... ballooning over Cappadocia!
