Hatay Archeology Museum puts artifacts under protection after quakes

Photos: Tuğçe Yılmaz/bianet

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The Hatay Archeology Museum in Hatay has taken artifacts under protection to prevent further damage, the manager of the museum has said.

"There is damage in our museum, but the earthquake did not damage any of our artifacts or mosaics. We have moved the artifacts safely from the showcases," Ayşe Ersoy told the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).

"The restorers are still collecting artifacts with museum experts. We have collected the artifacts in a safe place so that they wouldn't be damaged in any aftershocks."

The statute of King Suppiluliuma of the Hittites, a world-renowned artifact in the museum, is completely unscathed, Ersoy added. "Even its pedestal remains. Our Antakya sarcophagus is standing. Nothing happened to our living room where we have a skeleton mosaic. All of our mosaics are intact."

Suppiluliuma

Ersoy emphasized that 210 mosaic panels covering an area of ​​3,500 square meters in total and 555 artifacts from other museums had been taken under protection in the museum.

Also, 3,763 artifacts had been collected from showcases and put in a laboratory, she added. (TY/VK)