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Antakya Archaeological Museum, Antioch

Museum garden, with mosaics and a sarcophagus. Photo © Dick Osseman. View all images in our Antakya Archaeological Museum Photo Gallery.

General view of a room in the Hatay Archaeological Museum, Antakya. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Detail of mosaic from the floor of the 5th-century Bath of Apolausis, a small suburban bath uncovered in the Antioch excavations on the slopes of Mount Silpios, east of the city. The woman depicted in… Photo © Dick Osseman.

Mosaic of Iphigenia in Aulis from Antioch, late second to early third century AD, Antakya Museum, inv. 961. Iphigeneia is on the left in white and her mother looks at her in grief. On the right (not… Photo © Dick Osseman.

View from an upper gallery of the Yakto Mosaic (named after where it was found), also known as the Megalopsychia Hunt Mosaic, named for the central figure. Fifth century AD, Yakto village near Daphne,… Photo © Dick Osseman.

Part of the border of the Megalopsychia Hunt Mosaic, which depicts a "day in the life" of fifth-century Antioch and Daphne and provides a guided tour from one to the other. This image shows… Photo © Dick Osseman.

Oceanus mosaic. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Stele, 3rd century. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Base of a temple column from 8th century BC Tainat, with fierce lions. Antakya Museum. Photo © Dick Osseman.

The Hatay Archaeological Museum or Antakya Archaeological Museum is an excellent museum of ancient art in Antakya, Turkey. Its collections include most of the Roman mosaics from ancient Antioch that were discovered in 1932-39, and is thus sometimes known as the Antakya Mosaic Museum.

History

Construction of the the Hatay Archaeological Museum began in 1934, inspired in part by the excavations of ancient Antioch that began in 1932 and on the recommendation of the French archaeologist M. Prost. The museum was completed in 1938, and a year later the Hatay province was reunited with Turkey. The museum was reorganized and reopened in 1948, and again in 1975.

What to See

The collection of the Hatay Archaeological Museum is spread throughout seven rooms and two halls, arranged according to where the artifacts were found. The rooms are tall and full of large windows, providing plenty of natural light. Most of the labels are in Turkish and English.

One of the most famous mosaics in the Antakya Museum is the Megalopsychia Hunt Mosaic, a large mosaic pavement dating from 450-75 AD. Discovered in Yakto village near Daphne, the mosaic is especially celebrated for its border, which depicts major landmarks and daily activities in ancient Antioch and Daphne. It is an important source for archaeologists, since virtually no structures from these ancient cities survive today.

Other highlights of the superb mosaic collection include the Boat of Psyches, the Drinking Contest, a rare Menander with Glykera and Comedy, the Buffet Supper with dishes full of ancient foods, and the magical Evil Eye mosaic that was intended to deflect curses from a 2nd-century home.

In addition to its mosaics, the Hatay Archaeological Museum displays many important artifacts discovered in Antioch and surrounding regions. These include column capitals, a sacrificial altar, idols, reliefs, grave steles, pottery objects, frescoes, coins, jewelry, and statues from the Hittite to Byzantine periods.

The museum's garden contains Roman period sarcophagi, building stones, water jars, and other objects, as well as a mosaic from the Church of Seleucia Pieria.

To explore many of the museum's exhibits yourself, please see our Antioch Museum Photo Gallery, with over 200 fully captioned photos.

Quick Facts on Antakya Archaeological Museum

Map of Antakya Archaeological Museum

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References

1. Christine Kondoleon, ed., Antioch: The Lost Ancient City.
2. Glanville Downey, Ancient Antioch (1963).
3. Hatay (Antakya) Archeology Museum - Turkey Travel Planner
4. Antakya Archaeological Museum - Wikipedia

More Information

• Antakya Archaeological Museum, Antioch - Go Historic
• Photos of Antakya Archaeological Museum - here on Sacred Destinations

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