Bead: Faith, Power and Beauty

The exhibition “Beads, Faith, Power and Beauty” consists of the beads and the bead themed findings that have never been on public view before mounted at the Istanbul Archeology Museum and sponsored by the Kadir Has Foundation will run November 23 to April 23.Main theme of the exhibition “Beads; Faith, Power and Beauty” that will be held at the Istanbul Archeology Museum is the function of the bead relevant with the faith, power and beauty. Pieces are presented in a chronological order within the context of this theme. Other objects like vases, statuettes and embossments with bead, amulet and pendulum descriptions belonging to the same period have also been placed together with beads while actual data related to the period on the uses of the beads are presented as well.

Findings obtained from the exhibitions conducted since the establishment of the Museum primarily in Western Anatolia and in several other places throughout the Anatolia, and broad geography within the borders of the Ottoman Empire, such as Thrace, Balkans, Islands (Cyprus and Rhodes), North Africa, Egypt and Mesopotamia and which are considered of great scientific value as a result of outstanding context take important place in the exhibition. Besides, though few in number, the works that were included to the collections by means of purchase, confiscation or endowment were also displayed. The works of art selected from the collections of the Classical Works Section cover a wide time span from the Neolithic period to the Byzantine period and the chronology was taken as a basis for their display. The beads of the period and the other objects of the same period together with their depictions take place in the exhibition. Beads of Egyptian and Mesopotamian origin existing in the collections of The Ancient Eastern Works Museum, on the other hand introduce their cultural richness with interesting samples within its concept and theme and give a much larger perspective to the exhibition. Furthermore, some interesting samples of the documents related to the materials and techniques used in beadwork are exhibited and the information on beadwork is provided to visitors through information boards.