On Saturday, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology unveiled a new exhibit featuring the drawings of renowned archaeological illustrator Piet De Jong.
The exhibition, entitled "His Golden Touch," displays De Jong's architectural reconstructions of the Midas Mound in Turkey - an exhibition site originally believed to be the burial place of King Midas himself, but now thought to contain the remains of Midas's father. The exhibition will run until January 10.
By using small fragments of recovered original paintings from the site, De Jong drew from his experience and knowledge of the era to finish the drawings. According to the Museum's Associate Curator for the Mediterranean Section Ann Blair Brownlee, De Jong's work extends beyond providing anthropological insights; it also showcases the contemporary phrygian culture in a widely accessible way.
"It helps people who aren't archaeologists" understand the significance of the ancient Turkish culture, Brownlee said. "It gives you an idea of what [the original drawings] might have looked like."
The exhibit, sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Foundation and an anonymous donor, was developed by Brownlee and Senior Museum Archivist Alessandro Pezzati.
In addition to unveiling the collection, the event on Saturday was a celebration of Turkish life in general, featuring Turkish art, food and music. The crowd that attended the opening was made up of a diverse collection of Philadelphia members, students from Penn and Drexel and representatives from the Turkish community.
Nihan Bekar, cultural attache to the Turkish Consulate General in New Yorkattended the event and noted that the drawings reflect Turkey's history and "archeological richness."
Ibrahim Onaral, president of the Turkish American Friendship Society of the U.S., highlighted the importance of archealogical endeavors in Turkey and exhibitions such as "His Golden Touch."
"Asia Minor, where Turkey is presently located, has been a location for so many different civilizations," Onaral said. "Archaeologically, Turkey is a very rich country."
