EPHESUS MUSEUM

The Ephesus museum in Seljuk houses a fantastic collection of statues, carvings, and jewelry discovered in Ephesus.

This first great hall of the Selcuk Archaeological Museum contains artifacts discovered in Ephesus, especially in Roman Villas (Slope Houses) inhabited by Ephesus’s wealthy citizens. Showing Glasses has marvelous artifacts from these Villas, used by retired Roman senators, generals, and wealthy citizens of Ephesus.

Among the museum’s famous artifacts, we can mention the figure of God Bes, the male god of fertility, discovered in a well at the brothel house of Ephesus. This figure with an exaggerated sexual organ symbolizes the ancient times’ male fertility god.

Another famous piece that draws the visitor’s attention is the beautiful head of Eros, discovered in the Odeon. This Roman copy’s beauty makes scholars think it was a Roman copy of the original work of Lysippos, a famous Greek sculptor. Among the prominent, notable piece of the museum, we can also mention Eros and Dolphin figures discovered in Iassos. This scene, which depicted the remarkable friendship between man and Dolphin, was one of the antiquities’ favorite subjects. Another corner of the museum is reserved for Socrates’ fresco found at one of the Roman Villas. The philosopher’s name is written on the fresco, flanked by an attractive head of Socrates. The hall has a few unique statues of Roman Emperors. One of them is the bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Two well-preserved busts of Emperor Tiberius and Livia, Emperor Augustus’s wife, and a serpent figure are displayed in another corner of the hall. Another remarkable piece that draws visitors’ attention is surviving ivory pieces of a throne or furniture depicting the Roman army prepared for the Partian War. Emperor Trajan is easily recognized on the freeze.

Polio Fountain

In this hall, group statues show Odysseus’s and his friends’ adventures after the Trojan War. They try to blind the Cyclops with one eye. Two figures sharpen a pole, and two others give wine to the Cycplop to make him drunk. These statues, which used to decorate a former temple pediment, were reused for Polio Fountain.

Another group of statues in this hall shows the figures once used to decorate the Trajan Fountain’s facade. This impressive fountain, built for Emperor Trajan, had the Emperor’s statue in the center, the statues of Aphrodite, Dionysus, and his followers. Visitors still enjoy the figure of Androclos, the legendary founder of the city; Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty; Dionysus, the god of wine and theatre; and his followers. In the same hall, Lysimachus, founder of the third city; the head of Pericles, Athenian statesman; and statues of the minor sea and water gods from one of the most fabulous water fountains, Ephesus. There are ancient game boards used in Roman times in the middle.

Eros Hall

While entering this hall, visitors are surprised there; on the right-hand side, a showing case has the artifacts discovered at Cukurici, a Neolithic site near Ephesus’s upper gate. This small hill changed the history of Ephesus once more.

In the rest of the hall, visitors enjoy statues, frescoes, terra cotta figurines, and coins representing Eros.

In the museum’s gardens, visitors enjoy a sundial discovered at the commercial agora, the sarcophagus and architectural pieces from the Belevi Tomb, and the columns of various temples and monuments from Ephesus.

The Hall

This hall contains the Mycenaean pottery, discovered at Ayasuluk hill and artifacts and tombs from the Grotto of Seven Sleepers of Ephesus.

The Hall of Artemis

This hall contains two statues of Artemis, both discovered at the town hall. These are the Roman versions of the original Artemis statue, originally situated at the temple of Artemis, one of the world’s Seven Wonders. Visitors studying the body of Artemis see bull testicles symbolizing fertility, the animals Artemis protected, and a bee, the symbol of the city of Ephesus. Visitors also enjoy some artifacts discovered at the temple’s altar and architectural pieces from the Temple of Artemis.

The carving depicts Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac.

The last hall of the museum is reserved for Roman finds: Visitors enjoy the carvings of Hadrian Temple, which depicts the foundation legends of Ephesus; the colossal head and arm of Emperor Domitian, which decorated the terrace of Domitian Temple; the altar of the temple; the statues of Emperor Augustus and his wife, Livia.

Asiarch Inscription Silversmith Inscription King Abgar Inscription

Domitianus Artemis Diana Seven Sleepers of Ephesus Prison of Paul

GROTTO OF SAINT PAUL

Grotto of Saint Paul

On the Mount Pion slopes, a small cave church offers stunning frescoes. The church’s frescoes depict Saint Paul and his women’s disciple Saint Thecla; Thecle was a young girl from Iconium ( present-day Konya) met Saint Paul and became one of his disciples. According to an apocryphal book titled Saint Theckla’s Life, she followed Saint Paul where ever he went.