From Syriac Heritage to Cultural Treasure: Mardin Museum

The Mardin Museum, which displays 1,694 artifacts from many civilizations and historical periods, takes visitors on a journey through civilizations.

The Mardin Museum is an archaeology and ethnography museum located in Mardin. It has archaeological and ethnographic collections that reflect the historical and cultural richness of the region. Its archaeological collections include tablets, cylinders, and seal stamps from the Bronze Age, Assyrian, Urartu, Hellenistic, Achaemenid Empire, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Seljuk Dynasty, Artukids, and Ottoman Empire periods, including tablets, cylinder and seal stamps, cult vessels, figurines, metal tools, jewelry, ceramics, gold, silver, and copper coins, tear bottles, and lamps. The ethnography section features examples of silver craftsmanship from Mardin and its surroundings, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets, headbands, hairpins, as well as old clothes, swords, coffee (mırra) sets, bath items, prayer beads, heating tools, and copper items are also on display.

History and architecture

The museum building was constructed in 1895 by Patriarch Ignatius Behnam Banni of Antioch as the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate. The Church of the Virgin Mary is located in the eastern part of the building. The structure, which served religious purposes for a long time, was later used as a military garrison, the headquarters of various political parties, a cooperative building, a health center, and a police station. The building was purchased by the ministry from the Syriac Catholic Foundation and restored in 2000, opening as the “Mardin Museum” after the artifacts from the Zinciriye Madrasa were transferred there. The museum operates in two separate buildings, one housing the museum and the other administrative offices.

The south-facing, U-shaped, three-story building features traditional Mardin house architecture. It was designed with three stories due to the steep slope of the land and the depth of the plot.