Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

2,700-year-old Ushabtis on display for 1st time in Turkey’s Izmir

by Anadolu Agency

IZMIR, Turkey Sep 19, 2021 - 11:04 am GMT+3
An Ushabti figure at Izmir Archaeological Museum, Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)
An Ushabti figure at Izmir Archaeological Museum, Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)
by Anadolu Agency Sep 19, 2021 11:04 am
RECOMMENDED
Christian mosaic icon in the Hagia Sofia. (iStock Photo)

Hagia Sophia facts: What will happen to 'original' mosaics?

HAGIA-SOPHIA

As part of its "You Will See What You Can't See" project where a new, special artifact is introduced to visitors every month, the Izmir Archaeology Museum brings the breezes of the Nile to the Aegean Izmir province this month. The September guests of the museum are 2,700-year-old Ushabti statuettes used in funeral rituals in Egypt.

The three ceramic figurines were found during excavations in the archaeological sites around Izmir’s Bayraklı, Foça and Erythrai. They were brought to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum at the beginning of the 1900s. Transferred from Istanbul Archaeology Museum to Izmir after the establishment of the city’s archaeology museum in the 1930s, the Ushabtis were preserved for about 80 years in the warehouses of the Izmir museum.

An Ushabti figure at Izmir Archaeological Museum, Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)
An Ushabti figure at Izmir Archaeological Museum, Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)

Ushabtis – small statuettes made of wood, stone or faience, a type of ceramic material – are often found in large numbers in ancient Egyptian tombs. It is believed that these statuettes were buried in tombs in Egypt with the aim of serving their owners as slaves in the afterlife.

The three Ushabtis at the Izmir Archaeology Museum indicate the longstanding commercial and cultural relations between Egypt and Anatolia. The figurines, with hieroglyphic inscriptions saying "ready for calls of duty of gods," will remain open to visitors in the treasury hall of the museum until the end of the month.

"We know that Anatolia and Egypt had very important deep-rooted relations in the fields of politics, culture, art and trade in every period of history,” Hünkar Keser, the director of Izmir Archaeological Museum, told Anadolu Agency (AA).

He said that there are many sanctuaries dedicated to Egyptian gods and goddesses in various spots of Anatolia. "We know that a temple was built in Ephesus in the name of Serapis, one of the fertility gods of Egypt. We also unearth artifacts of Egyptian culture in the worship areas in various places in Anatolia."

Ushabti figurines at Izmir Archaeological Museum, Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)
Ushabti figurines at Izmir Archaeological Museum, Izmir, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)

“The Egyptians included the Ushabtis in their preparations for the afterworld because they thought that they should have servants after death. They made statuettes out of tile and faience and had them buried next to them,” he added.

The previous items exhibited as part of the Izmir Archaeology Museum's project were awe-inspiring marble statuettes carved by sculptors in Anatolia 7,000 years ago, called the “Stargazers,” and a bronze tool used for cleansing the body by scraping off dirt, perspiration and oil some 2,300 years ago, called a “strigil.”

The "You Will See What You Can't See" exhibition is due to run through January 2022.

RECOMMENDED
Christian mosaic icon in the Hagia Sofia. (iStock Photo)

Hagia Sophia facts: What will happen to 'original' mosaics?

HAGIA-SOPHIA
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Sep 19, 2021 12:22 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    archaeology ushabti izmir ancient egypt
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A view of the rubble of a building hit by the earthquake in Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş, Feb. 6, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Death toll rises to 3,432 after magnitude 7.7 quake rocks SE Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE
    The collapsed part of Gaziantep Castle, Feb. 6, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Gaziantep Castle collapses after magnitude 7.7 quake hit Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE

    Deadly quake damages Türkiye's energy infrastructure, major port

    earthquake

    Türkiye declares 7 days of national mourning after earthquakes

    türkiye
    No Image
    Paradise in Türkiye's Munzur revived after terrorism defeated
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021