Ancient Skeleton Mosaic Uncovered in Turkey Reads “Be Cheerful and Live Your Life”
Archaeologists in Turkey recently unearthed an exceptionally preserved mosaic inside the remains of a building from the 3rd century. One section of the three-panel artwork includes a reclining skeleton with an arm over its head, holding a glass of wine and resting an elbow on a loaf of bread. On both sides of its head reads the phrase “Be cheerful and live your life,” written in Greek. The purpose of the building surrounding the mosaic, and even when it was made is currently being debated. Some experts believe the triptych was simply the floor of a wealthy person who could afford to have it built, while others think it might be a message in a soup kitchen urging people to get their food quickly and leave.
History’s Oldest Shopping Mall Remains One of the World’s Most Visited Attractions
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey is a place with a rich and extensive past. Widely considered to be history’s oldest shopping mall, it occupies 61 covered streets and contains over 3,000 independent vendors that sell everything from carpet to jewelry to spices to souvenirs. Its beginnings date back to the mid 15th century, when Sultan Mehmet II commissioned it shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453. Today, the Grand Bazaar remains incredibly popular—in 2014, it was the most visited tourist attraction in the world and boasted over 91 million annual shoppers.
The Bazaar as we know it came together organically over time. When it first opened, it traded only in textiles and was called Cevâhir Bedestan, or Bedesten of Gems. After a place known as the Sandal Bedesten was erected nearby, the fabric businesses moved there, and the Cevâhir Bedestan was reserved for luxury goods. Between the two buildings, however, many sellers opened their own shops, eventually establishing a quarter devoted to commerce. By the beginning of the 1600s, the building had reached its current form.
Modern-day visitors to the massive market are among more than 250,000 daily shoppers. Wares are housed in small stalls and grouped together based on what they sell. Prices for these items are rarely fixed, so it’s a haven for hagglers.
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Turkey to commemorate 76th anniversary of Atatürk’s death
The Turkish nation will remember Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, with ceremonies held throughout the country on today, the 76th anniversary of his death.
Turkey Like You’ve Never Seen It Before
This video represents over than 3500 km traveled in 20 days. This is Turkey like you’ve never seen it before.
The History That Sits Atop Turkey’s Mount Nemrut
Located in southeastern Turkey is Mount Nemrut, the 7,000 feet tall mountain that plays host to a number of centuries-old statues. For decades ancient kings flocked to the summit and erected numerous sanctuaries and tombs there, and given Turkey’s rocky past, it’s a wonder that the statues are still intact.
Taksim Gezi Parkı...
The 2013 protests in Turkey are a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Turkey, which began on 28 May 2013, initially to contest the urban development plan for Istanbul's Taksim Gezi Park. The protests were sparked by outrage at the violent eviction of a sit-in at the park protesting the plan.Subsequently, supporting protests and strikes took place across Turkey protesting a wide range of concerns, at the core of which were issues of freedom of the press, of expression, assembly, and the government's encroachment on Turkey's secularism. With no centralised leadership beyond the small assembly that organized the original environmental protest, the protests have been compared to the Occupy movement and the May 1968 events. Social media played a key part in the protests, not least because much of the Turkish media downplayed the protests, particularly in the early stages. 3.5 million of Turkey's 80 million people are estimated to have taken an active part in almost 5,000 demonstrations across Turkey connected with the original Gezi Park protest. 11 people were killed and more than 8,000 were injured, many critically.
The sit-in at Taksim Gezi Park was restored after police withdrew from Taksim Square on 1 June, and developed into an Occupy-like camp with thousands of protesters in tents, organising a library, medical center, food distribution, and their own media. After the Gezi Park camp was cleared by riot police on 15 June, protesters began to meet in other parks all around Turkey and organised public forums to discuss ways forward for the protests.Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed the protesters as "a few looters" on 2 June.Police suppressed the protests with tear gas and water cannons. In addition to the 11 deaths and over 8,000 injuries, more than 3,000 arrests were made. Excessive use of force by police and the overall absence of government dialogue with the protesters was criticized by some foreign countries and international organisations.
The range of the protesters was described as being broad, encompassing both right- and left-wing individuals.Their complaints ranged from the original local environmental concerns to such issues as the authoritarianism of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, curbs on alcohol, a recent row about kissing in public, and the war in Syria. Protesters called themselves çapulcu (looters), reappropriating Erdoğan's insult for themselves (and coined the derivative "chapulling", given the meaning of "fighting for your rights"). According to various analysts, the protests are the most challenging events for Erdoğan's ten-year term and the most significant nationwide disquiet in decades.
Cappadocia, Turkey’s Amazing Landscape
White Lies
White Lies is a photography project where black/white and human themes connected through the night life of İstanbul.
by Ali Sureyya Torun
Types of Cities
by Sarah Johnson
Artist Paints Incredible Detailed Miniature Scenes On Butterflies & Other Things
Turkish artist Hasan Kale has been painting incredible detailed miniature scenes on butterflies, beetles, peanuts, and other objects since the 1980s.