Bartın – Amasra Museum
BARTIN – AMASRA MUSEUM AND ITS HISTORY
It has been felt as an obligation to establish a museum in Amasra, as this city is a centre of archaic settlement and rich in terms of historical monuments.
Many activities were carried out for long years under the leadership of the poet – author Tahir Karaoğuz to establish a museum in Amasra. The first museum was built in 1955, and began its activities in a small room in the Town Hall. The museum was moved to an old school building in 1969. But there was a need to build a new museum in Amasra. Bahriye School, the construction of which was started by the Bolu Governor, Mr. İsmail Kemal, in 1884, was bought by our Ministry in 1975, and construction was completed in 1976. The building was opened to visitors on January 30th, 1982 upon the completion of restoration work. The museum is on a single floor and has 4 exhibition halls, 2 of which are archaeological and 2 of which are ethnographic halls. Most of the monuments in the exhibition halls were collected from Amasra and its environs.
No. 1 Archaeological Monument Hall: Small findings belonging to Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Eras are being exhibited in this hall. Earthenware and glass vessels for perfume and collecting tears, golden and bronze burial ornaments, various kinds of amphora and jugs recovered from the sea are also exhibited in this hall. There are also bronze statues, bracelets, fishing hooks, crucifixes, weapons, oil – lamps and vessels of the same period. Besides, golden, silver and bronze coins of Hellenistic, Rome and Byzantine Times are exhibited as well.
No. 2 Archaeological Monument Hall: This hall is wholly allocated to the marble monuments of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Genoese Eras. Statues, statue heads, grave steles, various embossed architectural objects are exhibited in this hall.
No. 1 Ethnographical Monument Hall: Small monuments of the Late Ottoman Period are exhibited in this hall. These monuments include copper kitchen vessels, weapons, writing sets, candlesticks, stamps, scales, ceramics, rings and vessels reflecting tree drawings, an art specific to the Amasra region.
No. 2 Ethnographic Monument Hall: Clothes reflecting the customary clothing of the region and silver ornaments belonging to Late Ottoman Period are exhibited in this hall. There are also bedding and bed covers, Korans, carpets, small bags and old wall clocks in this hall. In addition, a Mediterranean map dated 1852, printed in the printing press of the palace, is exhibited in the corridor of the museum. There are stone monuments of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Genoese Times in the garden of the museum.
