This article provides a brief overview of archaeological digital archiving in Turkey. It introduces the legal framework and the stakeholders involved in conducting archaeological excavations and surveys. The current situation in archiving born-digital and digitised documentation produced during archaeological fieldwork is then introduced. Existing repositories serving as hubs for archaeological and heritage archiving are listed and briefly discussed. Analysis of online publishing practices for archaeological digital resources points to an eclectic landscape that only minimally complies with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. We conclude that guidelines for best practice in metadata and semantic technologies, locally applicable standards (especially controlled vocabularies), technical know-how, and a larger acceptance of open data and scholarship remain much-needed assets for archaeological digital archiving in Turkey. We also conclude that the future promises progress towards more interoperable archaeological digital archives thanks to international training, network and knowledge transfer opportunities (e.g. SEADDA Project).

This article explores preservation and restoration projects in the Balkans and Turkey in light of current Turkish and American foreign policy initiatives. Of specific interest are the political goals of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (T _ IKA) and the United States Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. The focus on the rehabilitation of Islamic heritage in the Balkans by the Republic of Turkey illustrates a strategic decision to weave cultural heritage programs into foreign policy as part of a larger agenda to increase its presence (and thus influence) abroad, notably under the arc of former Ottoman territories. This targeted approach in the Balkans differs in critical ways from the rhetoric of the United States and their partners in Europe and Turkey, which promote idealized notions of diversity, pluralism, and tolerance through a mosaic of heritage projects (Islamic, Jewish, Christian, museum displays, archaeological research, etc.). The Ambassadors Fund projects are staged in moral terms as part of reconciliation and EU integration. These patterns demonstrate the ability of cultural heritage projects to affect symbolic geographies of power; in so doing, heritage programs continue to offer viable and successful platforms in shaping claims of cultural sovereignty beyond the boundaries of nation-states.

Abstratcs of the papers presented about Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine fibulae (Izmir, 12-13 May 2022)

This paper discusses a small group of gilded silver fibulae either showing a portrait of Caracalla in a laurel wreath or presenting a close iconological connection to this emperor. Most of the fibulae come from private collections. On the basis of the portrait, the group can be dated very losely between A.D. 211 and 217, which makes them the most precisely dated fibulae hitherto known. It may be that they were made in the Roman East and distributed to soldiers to reflect their loyalty, which fits well into the general picture of personalized military items showing connections to this emperor.

Today the relationship between tourism and cultural heritage is parallel with the arguments experienced between modernity and traditionality. “Cultural heritage”, which has become an important resource that attracts tourists, has been regaining value as one of the focal points of tourism in the recent years. It is possible to say that there has been an increase in the share of culture in tourism movements and that touristic centers have been renewed to this end. It is stated that culture is a means of regeneration in the development and marketing of tourism with the rich historical fabric and ethnic heritage it involves. Due to its geographical location, Turkey is a country which has been the cradle of many civilizations and whose cultural assets have therefore been diversified and enriched. In Turkey, tourism generally commenced primarily with the visits to historical sites and museums as a result of tourists’ interest in cultural heritage, and today the sea, sand and sun have failed to compete with tourism; moreover, cultural tourism practices have remained limited with visits to museums and ruins and inadequate in comparison with those of the countries of a similar location. Today cultural tourism is complementary to coastal tourism. In this paper, the sources of cultural tourism in Turkey will be addressed and it will be intended to describe the significance of the matter by comparing the number of incoming cultural tourists and the distribution of visits.

This paper is concerned with the concepts of protection, conservation and management of archaeological heritage sites as invoked by UNSECO, ICOMOS and ICCROM and the benefits of engaging in sound heritage management in the face of increasing Mass Tourism to Aegean Turkey’s ancient archaeological sites. To this end, the author has selected the two Ancient Greco-Roman archeological sites of Aphrodisias and Ephesus in western Turkey for a comparative study. The sites have been identified for their outstanding universal value (OUV) and contrasting contexts. The Ancient city of Ephesus, inscribed in July 2015 as a World Heritage Site and The Ancient City of Aphrodisias, a nomination candidate since 2009. Central to the paper is the review of visitor management strategies presented in the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism Management Plans submitted to UNESCO for Ephesus and Aphrodisias and prospects for their timely implementation. The burning question focuses on the 'Adequacy' of existing Regulalatory frameworks to protect the sites in the face of Mass tourism.