Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı: The Turkish public must protect its historical artifacts
Drawing attention to the smuggling of historical artifacts, Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı commented, “The Turkish public must take ownership of its historical artifacts and the wealth of its homeland. Otherwise, the magnificent heritage of Asia will fall into the hands of looters.”
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Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı addressed the smuggling of historical artifacts in his article titled “Ancient Anatolia and the Turkey of the Time.”
In his piece written for Hürriyet, Ortaylı warned, “Today, the smuggling of historical artifacts serves mansions in Hollywood and the nouveau riche in Europe. Certain petty bourgeois individuals who follow the smugglers do not hesitate to loot and carry away the stones and glass they encounter wherever they go.”
“THE TURKISH PUBLIC MUST PROTECT ITS HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS”
Stating, “We are the country with the richest historical artifacts in the Mediterranean basin. We have awareness on this subject, but it is insufficient,” Ortaylı added, “The Turkish public must take ownership of its historical artifacts and the wealth of its homeland. They should not view them with the eyes of a stranger. There is no end to alienation. Some of us may exclude Ancient Greece or Byzantium, while others may exclude the Ottoman era. Thus, the magnificent heritage of Asia Minor falls into the hands of looters.”