After the journey of Göbeklitepe, known as the zero point of history, to Rome, the Hittites are now on display in Korea. Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, drawing attention to the fact that they are promoting the ancient heritage of Anatolia all around the world, gave the message that they will continue to exhibit these unique cultural treasures in the international arena.
Minister Ersoy stated that the “Göbeklitepe: The Mystery of a Sacred Place” exhibition held at Italy’s world-famous landmark Colosseum attracted great attention and said in a statement on social media, “Now it’s the Hittites’ turn!”
Hittites in Seoul
The capital of South Korea, Seoul, is home to the Hittites, one of the most magnificent civilizations of Anatolia. The Hittites Exhibition, which opened on March 7 at the Seoul Baekje Museum, brings together 212 works brought from Türkiye with art lovers.
The exhibition, which aims to strengthen cultural ties between Türkiye and Korea, includes selected works from the Çorum, Boğazköy and Alacahöyük museums. The Hittites, who entered the historical scene in the 17th century BC, are being introduced on an international platform with their rich cultural heritage.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by Birol İnceciköz, Director General of Cultural Heritage and Museums, and Murat Tamer, Ambassador to Seoul from Türkiye. From South Korea, Seoul Municipality Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs Byeongmin Kim, Seoul Metropolitan Council Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Chairman Kyeong Kim, Culture Department Director Chaesuk Ma and Gimhae Deputy Mayor Kyeongwon An, National Heritage Administration National Cultural Heritage Research Institute Director Jongdeok Lim and Actor Sunghwan Koo were also present at the opening ceremony. The ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Ukraine to Seoul were also present at the opening.
In his speech at the ceremony, Birol İnceciköz, Director General of Cultural Heritage and Museums, expressed his pleasure in bringing the cultural and artistic richness of the Hittites to an international audience. He emphasized that the historical and cultural ties between Turkey and Korea will be further strengthened with this exhibition.
The Hittites exhibition will be open to visitors at the Baekje Museum in Seoul until June 8.
Hittite Journey to Korea
The works previously exhibited at the Gimhae National Museum attracted great attention with over 37 thousand visitors.
This collection, bearing traces of the Hittite civilization, introduces Türkiye's cultural heritage to a wide audience by meeting art lovers in Seoul, a city with a population of 23 million.
Hittites to be Discussed in the Scientific World
Parallel to the exhibition, the “Türkiye-Hittite International Academic Conference” will be held on April 18, with the initiative of the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency and the contributions of the Seoul Baekje Museum and the Gimhae National Museum.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Schachner, Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu and Dr. Önder İpek, who work on the Hittites, and Boğazköy Museum Director Resul İbiş will attend the conference as speakers.
The exhibition and conference, which bring together the traces of the Hittites with the present day, stand out as an important step in carrying Türkiye's cultural heritage to the world stage.
