ANKARA.- The exhibition Antioch on the Orontes, Early Explorations in the City of Mosaics presents photographs from the first archaeological excavation seasons in Antioch. These early-twentieth-century photographs narrate the process of uncovering the finds that have shed light on the history of this important ancient city. Antioch on the Orontes was originally held by the Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations in Istanbul from 28 February to 20 April 2014. The exhibition moved to Ankara in collaboration with VEKAM and opened on 17 June 2014 in the Turkish-American Association Emin Hekimgil Art Gallery.

Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations and Vehbi Koç and Ankara Research Center (VEKAM) presents the exhibition Antioch on the Orontes, Early Explorations in the City of Mosaics in Ankara. The show will be on display between 17 June and 21 September 2014 at the Turkish-American Association Emin Hekimgil Art Gallery. Curated by Murat Akar, it tells the story of how archaeologists unearthed findings from the most brilliant period in the history of Antioch, one of the most important political and cultural centers of the Hellenistic Orient and one of the great metropolises of the Roman Empire.

The exhibition presents photographs from the first archaeological excavations carried out by Princeton University in Antioch between 1932 and 1939. These eight excavation seasons constitute the most comprehensive archaeological work in the region at the time, and the photographs on display document the discovery of the world-famous mosaics now in the Hatay Archaeological Museum and of other artifacts from Ancient Antioch. Moreover, Antioch on the Orontes, Early Explorations in the City of Mosaics provides clues about the excavation methods and archiving techniques of the 1930s.

Curated so as to reflect the excavation diaries, the exhibition presents a selection from the Antioch Archives of Princeton University’s Department of Art and Archaeology; it also includes a video prepared by Princeton University’s Excavation Committee. The images document not only the archaeological excavations, but also daily life, local dress, as well as the urban and rural landscapes of 1930s Antioch.
A catalog published by Koç University Press—containing a brief history of Antioch, a history of the excavations, and a selection of the excavation photographs—accompanies the exhibition.