Ottoman works in the digital age

ISTANBUL – Anadolu Agency

The Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) develops a new system, the first of its kind, which allows researchers around the world to easily work on Ottoman documents

The Ottoman Optical Character Recognition (OCR) project, which enables rare Ottoman works to be transferred to the electronic world, has been launched by the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA).

“You scan an Ottoman text first, upload it to a computer and the convert it into a word document; finally you can search this document,” said IRCICA General Director Halit Eren, explaining the process the ORC uses to bring old Ottoman documents into the digital age. 

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ottoman-works-in-the-digital-age--.aspx?pageID=238&nID=93549&NewsCatID=386  

Footprints among top findings of Yenikapı excavations

Ömer Erbil - ISTANBUL
While taking the known history of Istanbul back to 8,500 years ago, the Yenikapı excavations have unearthed a raft of historical artifacts that have drawn the world’s attention to archaeology in Turkey. 

Among the most interesting findings of the Neolithic Age excavations are the footprints of the first locals of Istanbul and their tools - including canoe oars and spoons fashioned out of bone. 

Many of these findings have been included in the world’s most unique artifacts, and are currently being held at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, waiting to be moved to a new museum set to be established in Yenikapı on Istanbul’s historic peninsula. 

At the same time, the excavations at the Aksaray Yenikapı Square, which are thought to be an extension of the ancient Theodosius Harbor, are still being carried out. Officials and archeologists stress that these excavations must be carried out with utmost care as very important findings may be revealed there. 

Among the many interesting items found during the Yenikapı excavations include a 1,200-year-old wooden comb, which is the only such item in the world; 1,500-year-old flip-flops, on which “use on healthy days” is written in Greek; a 1,200-year-old amphora; 8,000-year-old canoe oars, which are the oldest ever found; cherry stones found in a shipwreck that sunk 1,200 years ago; and the head of an ivory figure from 1,600 years ago, an extraordinary work of art.
Hürriyet daily news 

Reliefs in Mersin fall victims to treasure hunters

DHA photo

The walls of the Şeytan Deresi Canyon in Mersin are home to some of the most unique reliefs in the world, but a lack of formal protection has resulted in treasure hunters damaging the artwork despite the lack of any valuables in the area.

“Treasure hunters dig these places for nothing and damage the reliefs. People carved their reliefs there in the ancient ages but established their graveyards in the main rocks in very different parts of the valley that cannot be discovered,” said Mersin University Archaeology Department Professor Serra Durugönül regarding the Adamkayalar (man-rocks) reliefs, which consist of 11 men, four women, two children, a mountain goat and an eagle.

The reliefs, which dates from the second and third centuries B.C., are located in such a difficult location that even mountain goats experience difficulty in accessing them.

Despite all the difficulties, the Adamkayalar region has been looted by treasure hunters for years even though no historical artifacts have been found there. 

The professor said she had first seen the region in 1980, noting that its situation was better then than today. 

“People living in that era established their graveyards in a variety of different places to protect them from robbers. Actually, it is impossible to find the places of these graves,” Durugönül said. “Nobody has so far succeeded in finding anything there because they can’t. There are similar geographical and topographical valleys like this one, but they don’t have such rich reliefs. It is possible to see various graveyards and reliefs while walking through the Şeytan Deresi Canton but all of them have been damaged.”

Guard needed 
Durungönül said they had made some proposals to the Mersin Governor’s Office for the protection of the region.

“We made an official application to the Mersin Governor’s Office years ago. We suggested a project for the establishment of a walking lane there as well as a platform for people to walk there easily, along with security cameras. The best solution is to post a guard there. This guard could oversee the entrances and exits and also give information to visitors about the region like a tourist guide. The governor’s office leaned toward to our proposal and informed the ministry about the issue, but we are still at the same point,” she said.

“Forget about Turkey, no place in the Mediterranean region, or even Europe, has such reliefs that are related to each other. The Adamkayalar were not finished at one time; they were finished one after the other and the earliest example dates back to the second century, and the last one dates back to the third century.

People buried the dead for 500 years and then came back to commemorate them,” the professor said.
Hürrıyet Daily news

Special stamp to remember Nazım Hikmet on birthday

DHA Photo

World renowned Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet’s 114th birthday will be commemorated with a special postage stamp printed especially for the occasion, while a documentary will be screened about his years as a prisoner in Bursa.

The Nilüfer municipality of the northwestern province of Bursa will organize series of events for his birthday in order to remember Hikmet, whose influence extends beyond Turkey to world literature history, on Jan. 14.

The documentary, “Nazım of Bursa,” will be screened as part of the momentous occasion. The film centers on the poet’s 11 years spent in Bursa prison, including exposés of documents and interviews with witnesses and friends who were with him during these harsh years.

Hikmet was arrested several times because of his political beliefs, marking his life with years of exile and prison.

An exclusive exhibition, named in honor of Hikmet’s “Yapraklara Dallara” poem, will be organized at the Nazım Hikmet Kültürevi, a culture center named after him in Bursa. Hundreds of poems written during Hikmet’s prison years will be displayed at the exhibition.

The stamp, the first one of its kind to celebrate Nazım Hikmet, will be offered to hosts during the event. The stamp will also be sold for 1.40 Turkish Liras and available for all literature lovers.

The event will end with a special concert, “Love is a shirt of fire,” performed by Hasan Yükselir who will interpret songs composed by the veteran poet.

January/08/2016 HDN

‘New Hasankeyf’s’ museum ready to open

AA photo

The construction of a museum and an amphitheater has been finished at a new settlement established for Hasankeyf, which is to be flooded by the Ilısu Dam, a project that NGOs fear will displace thousands and obscure Hasankeyf’s unique ancient history.

The new settlement, which has been set up to save a few of Hasankeyf’s historical sites from flooding, is located on the outskirts of the Batı Raman Mountains, north of Hasankeyf’s current location where projects undertaken by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) and Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Board are finally coming to fruition. 

In the projects’ scope, a three-floor Hasankeyf Museum with 2,500 square-meters of closed area and 5,000 square-meters of open area and an amphitheater have been built in the field named Cultural Park. The artifacts that shed light on Hasankeyf’s history will be displayed at the museum. 

Meanwhile, the construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting moved historical sites is in its final phase. West of this bridge will be the İmam Abdullah Tomb, a historic bath and Zeynel Bey Tomb, while east of the bridge will be the El Rizk, Koç, Sultan Süleyman and Kızlar mosques and the castle’s gate. 

Hasankeyf district governor Bülent Baygüven said their goal was to “fill the gaps at Hasankeyf” and turn the new settlement into a modern tourism center without damaging Hasankeyf’s historical foundation. 

While the settlement’s government building and district police department were currently up and running, Baygüven said, “some public housing is still under construction.” Though students are still attending Hasankeyf’s middle school, a new high school has been set up at the new settlement, according to Baygüven.

He continued: “The hospital will be finished very soon. The Cultural Park, District Gendarmerie Command, District Food, Agriculture and Livestock buildings are under construction, too. When the citizens arrive here, houses will be built and this [new settlement] will be a complete district.”

Hasankeyf and the Ilısu Dam
The ancient, 12,000-year-old town of Hasankeyf is located on the banks of the Tigris River in southeastern Turkey, featuring Neolithic caves, Roman ruins and medieval monuments. 

Eighty percent of Hasankeyf will be flooded due to the controversial Ilısu Dam, which has been the subject of controversy since 2006 when its first foundational stone was placed. Due to the highly impactful nature of the dam, European creditors pulled their investment support for the dam in 2008, postponing its construction for 2 years.

Set to become Turkey’s fourth hydroelectric power plant if completed, the dam is part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), which aims to create sustainable development for people living in Turkey’s southeast through the construction of dams and hydroelectric plants. 

Europa Nostra, a European heritage organization, and the European Investment Bank Institute announced on Dec. 10 that Hasankeyf and its surroundings were among the heritage sites shortlisted on its “The Seven Most Endangered” program for 2016.

Fin 2015 pour les enfants au musée de ST GERMAİN EN LAYE

Communiqué de presse
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, le 10 décembre 2015

Des ateliers ludiques et créatifs ainsi que des visites pour les enfants pendant les vacances de Noël !

Le musée d’Archéologie nationale propose tout au long des vacances de Noël (du 19 décembre au 3
janvier 2016) différents ateliers et visites pour permettre aux enfants et adolescents de mieux comprendre
la vie de leurs ancêtres tout en se divertissant.
Ces ateliers se déclinent autour de l’archéologie et ses méthodes, mais aussi autour de pratiques artistiques
anciennes. Chacun deux est lié à une période historique précise, du Paléolithique à la Gaule romaine.
La séance commence par une visite des salles du musée consacrées à la période historique en question,
puis se poursuit sur une manipulation en salle d’atelier. Ainsi, après un contact avec les oeuvres originales,
les enfants réalisent leur propre création et l’emportent avec eux.
Ce concept permet aux plus jeunes de découvrir les collections du musée et de s’initier à une discipline
artistique de façon créative.

AU PROGRAMME PENDANT CES VACANCES DE FIN D’ANNEE…
Visites guidées enfants :
Je suis un petit Cro-magnon Pour les 5/7 ans
Les enfants sont amenés à se glisser dans la peau d’enfants préhistoriques qui découvrent leur environnement, quotidien et modes de vie de nos ancêtres.
Lundi 21 et lundi 28 décembre à 10h15

Je suis un petit Gaulois Pour les 5/7 ans
Les enfants sont amenés à se glisser dans la peau d’enfants gaulois et découvrir leur mode de vie ainsi que
leur environnement.
Mercredi 23 et mercredi 30 décembre à 10h15

Je suis un petit Gallo-romain pour les 5/7 ans
Les enfants sont amenés à se glisser dans la peau d’enfants gallo-romains. Ils pourront découvrir le
quotidien ainsi que le mode de vie de leurs ancêtres.
Jeudi 24 et jeudi 31 décembre à 10h15

Visites guidées en famille :Historique du château en famille Dès 7 ans
Cette visite adaptée aux enfants permet de leur faire découvrir l’histoire du château d’aujourd’hui et d’hier.
Les enfants pourront suivre les traces des plus grands rois de France et découvrir tous les secrets du
domaine royal.
samedi 19 décembre à 15h45

Les premiers chasseurs et les premiers villages Dès 7 ans
Passez du Paléolithique au Néolithique en découvrant l’évolution de l’homme à travers ces époques. Les
enfants pourrons comprendre comment ces derniers ont bâti les premiers villages et développé
l’agriculture et l’élevage.
dimanche 20 décembre à 14h

Vivre au temps des gaulois Dès 7 ans
Contrairement à la légende, les Gaulois ne s’épuisaient pas à chasser le sanglier, à tailler des menhirs ou à
se battre ! Leurs outils, leurs ustensiles, leurs habitats vous prouveront qu’ils étaient d’excellents
agriculteurs, des architectes ingénieux, des métallurgistes grandioses et des commerçants audacieux…
dimanche 20 décembre à 15h45
mercredi 23 et 30 décembre à 11h30
samedi 2 janvier à 15h45

Les premiers chasseurs Dès 7 ans
Découvrez la plus longue période de la préhistoire : le Paléolithique. Avec l’apparition des premiers
hommes. Grâce à cette visite apprenez comment ils vivaient. Evadez vous avec divers artistes et
inventeurs.
lundi 21 et lundi 28 décembre à 11h30
dimanche 27 décembre à 15h45

Dieux et héros de l’antiquité gallo-romaine Dès 7 ans
Cultivez-vous avec deux peuples polythéistes, les Romains et les Gaulois : qui croient en plusieurs
divinités. Découvrez leurs rites religieux.
jeudi 24 et jeudi 31 décembre à 11h30

Se divertir en Gaule romaine Dès 8 ans
Grâce à cette visite les enfants pourront apprendre, s’amuser et découvrir comment nos ancêtres gallo-romains se divertissaient.
jeudi 24 et jeudi 31 décembre à 14h
samedi 26 décembre à 15h15

À l’aube du premier Moyen Âge Dès 7 ans
Période mal connue, le premier Moyen Âge s’étend de la fin de l’Empire romain au Moyen Âge
classique. Loin du stéréotype des « invasions barbares » et des « rois fainéants » venez découvrir la
vie quotidienne d’un peuple à l’aube d’un monde nouveau.
dimanche 3 janvier 15h45

Ateliers :Archi’chouette ! Je fabrique une maquette d’une pièce remarquable du château… Pour les 8/12 ans
Les enfants abordent le 3D grâce à la sculpture d’une pièce du château avec de grandes boîtes en carton,
des éléments photocopiés, dessinés, découpez. Ils font marchés leur imagination.
Samedi 19 décembre à 14h30

Peindre comme les hommes préhistoriques Pour les 6/10 ans
Les enfants découvrent les thèmes et les techniques de la peinture au Paléolithique, puis réalisent une
fresque colorée à la manière des hommes de ce temps.
Lundi 21 et lundi 28 décembre à 14h30
Mercredi 23 et mercredi 30 décembre à 14h30

Les animaux dans l’art préhistorique : le bison gravé Pour les 7/10 ans
Les enfants sont amenés à se glisser dans la peau des premiers artistes et à reproduire une gravure de
bison, cet animal qui apparaît si souvent dans les oeuvres de nos lointains ancêtres.
Samedi 2 janvier à 10h30

Attention, pour tous les ateliers, la réservation est obligatoire.
Pour s’inscrire : 01 34 51 65 36 ou contact@musee-archeologienationale.fr
Et dans le cadre de l’exposition Le Futur du Passé, venez découvrir les restaurations du château
Renseignements pratiques
Téléphone : 01 39 10 13 00
Adresse : Château – Place Charles de Gaulle – 78 100 Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Accès : RER ligne A – Station Saint-Germain-en-Laye – Autobus RATP 258
Autoroute de l’Ouest A 13, RN 190, RN 13, N 186
Pour connaître la programmation des activités de l’établissement, connectez-vous sur :
www.musee-archeologienationale.fr
Retrouvez nous aussi sur Facebook https://www.facebook.com/musee.archeologienationale
Contact presse : Fabien Durand 01 39 10 13 18

TELETHON 2015 : OBJECTİF 100 MİLLİONS D'EUROS

Cette année nous devrons récolter 100 millions d'euros.

Aussi le LİONS CLUB İNTERNATIONAL DE ST GERMAİN EN LAYE sera-t-il demain samedi dès 20h30 au centre d'appel de VELİZY pour vous répondre et recueillir vos dons.

Les dons qui seront faits durant cette campagne serviront, comme les années précédentes, à rémunérer ceux qui cherchent, à fournir du matériel performant et, nouveau projet, à financer bientôt peut-être, un laboratoire de fabrication des médicaments issus de la recherche.

ALORS APPELEZ LE 3637, donnez le numéro autour de vous, parlez à vos amis et à vos collègues et DONNEZ MEME 5 euros mais donnez.

Les bénévoles du LİONS CLUB dont je fais partie donnent leur temps (et aussi leur argent, si si !) pour ce Téléthon, aıdez-nous à réussir le challenge 2015.