Artifacts from 2,400-year-old tomb attract visitors in Turkey

By Ali Balli

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - Artifacts unearthed from a 2,400-year-old tomb in southwestern Turkey's Mugla province are now exhibited at a museum, attracting both local and foreign tourists.

“Since the exhibition of artifacts from a sarcophagus with the support from Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, people from Turkey as well as other countries come to our castle just to see these works,” Huseyin Toprak, the curator of the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Bodrum Castle, told Anadolu Agency.

“Items such as rings, necklaces, coins, and pelikes unearthed from the grave were restored by our experts in our own laboratory."

After week-long efforts, a showcase and an exhibition hall were arranged for the works, he said.

The sarcophagus was found on April 2 during a foundation excavation of a construction in Bodrum.

Toprak said the restoration work in Bodrum Castle is coming to an end. Sharing that there are 33 decares of exhibition space in the castle, Toprak said there are 12 halls where artifacts are exhibited.

He said there was a decrease in footfall due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Last year, we attracted nearly 70,000 visitors – much less than the usual. But this year we expect a record increase.”

Thanks to its modern appearance after renovation, Toprak said many international tourists visited the castle during the recent 17-day lockdown in Turkey which ended on May 17, as they were exempt from the restrictions.