Anadolu Kültür Tarihi

"[…] I was planning for a while to publish these two works [Eski Çağda Ege ve İzmir (The Aegean and Izmir in Ancient Times) and Hatti ve Hitit Uygarlıkları ( Hatti and Hittite Civilizations) at an available price for the Turkish readers. When TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) which publishes books of quality at a fair price, proposed me to write a book, I had this happy opportunity to fulfill my dream."

The thousands of years from prehistoric times to the Byzantine period seem to be rather complicated for most people who are not professionally involved in history. For those people, these years are either impossible to imagine appropriately or are framed in their minds as a hazy past made up of myths and legends. The Cultural History of Anatolia describes this period as a whole by focusing on the most remarkable details and accomplishments under the light shed by scientific facts. It is a basic guide and reference book for everyone who starts to get interested in and who is willing to study the Anatolian history.

Anadolu Uygarlıkları

"This volume in hand, Anatolian Civilizations, constitutes the essence of the author’s published works in foreign languages in Europe and in the Unites States of America over a fifty years period. Anatolian Civilizations is written not only for archaeologists, experts in ancient history, art historians and architects but also for our art-lover intellectuals."

Anatolian Civilizations, published in Turkish by E. Akurgal, is a work that deserves to be labeled as a masterpiece. The story behind its publication, however, is also revealing to demonstrate the trials in the publishing world and the efforts of an intellectual. E.Akurgal had been criticizing for years of having written his works in foreign languages rather than Turkish. While he was endeavoring for years asking for support from the presidents, ministers of cultures, owners of the publishing houses and rich businessmen to have the opportunity to get published in Turkey. The obstacles he encountered during his attempts may be summarized as the results of the poverty in the country, the degeneration of the bureaucracy and the people’s general indifference to publishing activities. His continuous efforts that started in the 1960s ended up in the1980s. What happened during these years may sound as parts of an inconceivable scenario. The ultimate outcome, however, is a seminal work on the Anatolian Archaeology which has been published many times.

Eski Çağ'da Ege ve Izmir

“Those who will read the book will see that the cultural leadership that had been under the dominance of the East for three millennia was transmitted to the Aegean in the years 650 B.C. when the Aegean became the progenitor of the Western Civilization by its ascendancy in the fields such as liberal thinking, positive sciences, philosophy, epic and lyric poetry.” (Excerpt from the Preface)

The main field of study of E. Akurgal has been the Aegean and his main period of expertise has been the genesis of civilization. This era was the years the first poets (Homeros), the first theologians (Hesiodos) and philosophers (Thales) lived. Positive sciences began flourishing, money was invented and the Olympic games were organized in these years. Monumental sculptures were carved, the planned cities emerged and grift vases that would influence the modern painting were produced. The colonists sailing from the Aegean coasts were spreading the civilization to all the corners of the Mediterranean from the Black Sea to the Spanish coasts. Not only class struggles and early thinking on democracy but also contradictory ideas began to develop during these years in the Aegean. Eski Çağ’da Ege ve İzmir (The Aegean and Izmir in Ancient Times) is a meticulous summary of broad knowledge of a scholar who dedicated his life to study this region and this particular era.

Eski Izmir I

"The systemic study of the Ionian settlement levels from the Submycenean to the Hellenistic Period (1050-300 BC.) has started by the Bayraklı Excavations. Although some very important finds belonging to the earliest phases of the Ionian civilization have been excavated in Samos, Miletus and Ephesus in recent years, the excavation of the early Ionian levels has been very limited in the mentioned cities due to intensive Hellenistic and Roman settlements. The Bayraklı Mound, however, which was deserted after the 4th century BC, provides the exclusive possibility to explore the period between 1050 and 300 BC. through successive Ionian settlement levels founded on top of each other."

It is possible to pursue the peak of Greek urbanization process in approximately one hundred settlements in both sides of the Aegean sea. However, it is very problematic to examine the years when the cities, or more properly city-states or poleis, were born since it is essential to work in sites which were settled in these periods and which reflect these characteristics in order to discuss the conditions that led to the foundation of the city and the steps taken during this process. Smyrna is the unique example in the Greek world housing this pattern. Most of the buildings unearthed in the city illustrate the practices of the 7th and 6th centuries BC. The fact that Smyrna was isolated from the traces of the Hellenistic and Roman periods which were largely have an effect on all the Aegean cities strengthens Smyrna’s distinctive position in the Aegean Greek world.

E. Akurgal who initiated Smyrna excavations and worked during his whole life with his heart and soul for archaeological research at Smyrna investigates in Eski Izmir I (Ancient Izmir I) the genesis of a city and a civilization as well. Written in pure academic style, the work has also a pioneering role in the field of reference books on archaeology in Turkey. The proposed suggestions are shaped within a broader perspective through scholarly discussions and debates with the experts in the field. Eski Izmir I (Ancient Izmir I) is, in brief, a fundamental work for everyone who are professionally involved not only in the study of the genesis of Smyrna and the Greek Culture but also in the study of the origins of city and urbanization.