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Dyed Easter Eggs and Their Symbolism
Dyed Easter eggs are among the most colorful and meaningful ritual objects in Bulgarian folk culture. Their bright colors and intricate patterns carry both...
Ritual Art in Bulgarian Culture
The National Ethnographic Museum in Bulgaria houses a rich and diverse collection of ritual objects that reflect the magic, religious beliefs, and cultural ideas...
Western Influence and Artistic Flexibility
At the same time, the icon painters of the post-Byzantine period were able to convey certain aspects of Western European aesthetics in their works....
Smyrna in the Byzantine and Medieval Periods
The modern city of İzmir is built directly on top of ancient Smyrna. Because of this, only limited archaeological excavation is possible today. Many...
Ancient Smyrna The Beginnings of the City
The earliest settlement of Smyrna was located at the Tepekule tumulus in modern Bayraklı, on a small peninsula along the Aegean Sea. Archaeological evidence...
The Cemetery Above the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
The ruins of a large cemetery can be seen above the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers in Ephesus. Together with the many graves around...
Rivers and Trade Routes
Western Anatolia is shaped by several important rivers that flow from the interior toward the Aegean Sea. These rivers are dry for most of...
The Lydians and Their Influence
In addition to their strong skills in sailing and trade, the Greek cities of western Anatolia faced an important political power to the east:...
From Villages to City-States
Literary sources and archaeological evidence suggest that many early settlements in western Anatolia began as small villages ruled by hereditary kings. Over time, especially...
Theories About the Path of the Theodosian Walls
After the Kerko Porta, the Theodosian Walls, which were the main line of defense for Constantinople, did not continue in a straight line. Historians...
