Creating Images of a Turkish Past: Identity and the Representation of Archaeology in Modern Turkey

What role do the narratives of the ancient past play in the modern Turkish Republic? How is the knowledge of this past constructed and displayed to the public? Melania Savino answers these questions through an analysis of the role of archaeology and its representation in the service of generating new perceptions of cultural identity in Turkey. The topic is explored through a focus on museums and visual media, addressing the ways in which antiquities became crucial symbols in the establishment and construction of a Turkish national imagination. During the creation of the republic, the discipline of archaeology underwent a profound transformation and played a primary role in defining Turkey as a 'modern' nation. However, despite what is commonly believed, Savino argues that archaeological excavations were carried out on a variety of sites from different periods and cultures in order that the resulting displays could show the heterogeneity of the Turkish past.Creating Images of a Turkish Past illustrates archaeological knowledge practises within a Turkish national context, but also shows that these practises cross national and international boundaries in an attempt to shape collective identities.