Great Palace Mosaic Museum

The Great Palace Mosaic Museum (Turkish: Büyük Saray Mozaikleri Müzesi), is located close to Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey, at Arasta Bazaar. The museum houses mosaics from the Byzantine period, unearthed at the site of the Great Palace of Constantinople.

History

The museum hosts the mosaics used to decorate the pavement of a peristyle court, dating possibly to the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565), although more recent analysis suggests a later date during the reign of Heraclius.^[1] It was uncovered by British archaeologists from the University of St Andrews in Scotland during extensive excavations at the Arasta Bazaar in Sultan Ahmet Square in 1935–1938 and 1951–1954. The area formed part of the south-western area of the Great Palace, and the excavations discovered a large peristyle courtyard, with a surface of 1872 m², entirely decorated with mosaics. It was at this point that the Austrian Academy of Sciences, supervised by Prof. Dr. Werner Jobst, undertook to study and preserve the famous palace mosaic and to carry out additional archeological examinations (1983–1997) within the scope of a cooperative project with the Directorate General of Monuments and Museums in Turkey.

The subject matter of the mosaics range from a Dionysian procession (the elephant and woman with a jug to many combat scenes featuring both human and non-human animal fighters. Intermixed are also various animals, including lions, eagles, snakes, and even multiple versions of the griffin.

The museum was closed for restoration activities in July 2023. As of February 2024, the museum remains closed and a re-opening date has not been announced.^[2]

Gallery

Floor mosaic of a woman carrying a pot (c. 5th century)
Floor mosaic of a child and a donkey (c. 5th century)
Shepherds with animals
Elephant
Dromedary ride
Bear with prey
Boy and dog
Hunt scene
Decoration
Griffon attack
Arena play

References

^ Bardill, Jonathan (2004). Brickstamps of Constantinople. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199255245.
^ "Istanbul Travel Blog: Great Palace Mosaic Museum Istanbul". Istanbul Travel Blog. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Great Palace Mosaic Museum.

Byzantium 1200 | Mosaic Peristyle
Istanbul Mosaic Museum Photos
Some 220 pictures, so most of the scenes

Museums in Istanbul

Archaeology and history museums

Castles

Culture and art museums

Historic house museums

Literary museums

Military museums

Palaces and pavilions

Religious museums

Science and technology museums

Miscellaneous

v t e Archaeological museums in Turkey
Aegean Region	Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum Aydın Archaeological Museum Bodrum Castle Bolvadin Museum Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum Ephesus Archaeological Museum Hierapolis Izmir Archeology Museum Archaeological Museum of Manisa Uşak Museum of Archaeology
Black Sea Region	Amasya Museum Bolu Museum Çorum Archaeological Museum Kastamonu Archaeological Museum Konuralp Museum Samsun Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography Sinop Archaeological Museum Tokat Museum Trabzon Museum
Central Anatolia Region	Çatalhöyük Eskişehir Archaeological Museum Konya Archaeological Museum Gordion Museum Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Eastern Anatolia Region	Kars Museum Van Museum
Marmara Region	Bursa Archaeological Museum Çanakkale Archaeological Museum Great Palace Mosaic Museum Istanbul Archaeology Museums Kırklareli Museum Sadberk Hanım Museum Tekirdağ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography
Mediterranean Region	Adana Archaeology Museum Alanya Archaeological Museum Antalya Museum Arslan Eyce Private Amphora Museum Burdur Archaeological Museum Hatay Archaeology Museum Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum Mersin Museum Misis Mosaic Museum Silifke Museum Tarsus Museum
Southeastern Anatolia Region	Adıyaman Archaeological Museum Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology Şanlıurfa Museum Zeugma Mosaic Museum