Hierapolis Archeological Museum
One of the largest buildings of
Hierapolis Ancient Town was the
Roman Bath. Since 1984 this building
has been used as the Hierapolis
Archeology Museum. Alongside works
of art from the excavations at
Hierapolis are finds from Laodicea,
Colossae, Tripolis, Attuda and other
towns of the Lycus (Çürüksu) Valley.
In addition, the museum has a large
section devoted to artifacts found
at Beycesultan Höyük that includes
some of the most beautiful examples
of Bronze Age crafts.
Material which has come the surface
in the Caria, Pisidia and Lydia
regions are also on display in the
museum. The museum's exhibition
space consists of the three closed
areas of the Hierapolis Bath and the
open areas on the eastern side which
are known to have been the library
and the gymnasium. Many of the large
exhibits and all the small exhibits
are shown in rooms A, B and C that
were the three closed sections of
the bath. Marble and other stone
artifacts are exhibited in the
garden.
Room A
Room A contains finds from the
excavations at Hierapolis and
Laodicea, including sarcophagi,
statues, gravestones, pedestals,
pillars and inscriptions. Among
these artifacts are statues of Tyche,
Dionysos, Pan, Asklepios, Isis,
Demeter and Triton, which although
executed by the Romans were inspired
by the Hellenistic traditions.
Particularly interesting are
representations of local customs on
family tombs. Specific to this area
are the most beautiful examples of
baked earth sarcophagi.
One of the most valuable works of
art in this room is the sarcophagus
belonging to a certain Arhon of the
'Sidemera' type. With its
inscription to Maximilion, it is the
finest work to emerge from the
ancient towns of Lahdi and Laodicea.
Room B
Room B mostly displays small finds
from several civilizations of the
last 4.000 years. These works, which
are displayed in chronological order,
include works from many
archeological sites in and around
Denizli. In this room separate
importance is given to the finds
from Beycesultan Hoyuk.
These finds are quite possibly the
most beautiful examples from an
ancient civilization. These works,
which were found by the excavation
conducted by the British Institute
of Archeology, include idols, baked
earth bowls, libation cups, seals
and other stone artifacts. In other
parts of the room are displayed
objects from the Phrygian,
Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine
periods such as glass cups,
necklaces, gemstones (in the form of
rings, bracelets, earrings and so
on) and earthenware lamps.
This room also contains an important
sequence of ancient coins arranged
in chronological order. The earliest
of these coins were minted in the
sixth century AD and the display
proceeds through the Hellenistic,
Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman
periods with coins of gold, silver
and bronze.
Room C
In this room decorative works from
the theatre of Hierapolis, most of
which have been restored, are
displayed. Some of the reliefs of
the scenery building remain in situ
but parts of them have been replaced
by copies. In the works that are
found in the room there are reliefs
devoted to the myth of Apollo and
Artemis, the delights of Dionysos
and the Roman Emperor Septimus
Severus. There are depictions of the
abduction of Persephone by Hades and
sculpted sphinxes. Sculpted reliefs
reminiscent of Attalos and Eumenes
are on display. Inscriptions
describing the coronation of the
goddess Hierapolis and decisions of
the assembly concerning the theatre
may be seen.