A gem (gemma in Latin) can be defined as a small piece of precious or semi-precious stone (the ancients did not make the same distinction as we do) that has been carved and polished, and which is usually set as an ornament in a piece of jewellery or in a variety of other settings (e.g. cult statues, walls, musical instruments, furniture, or even shoes in the case of the emperors Caligula and Elagabalus). Many of these gems are engraved with a device that is either cut in negative (an intaglio), or in positive (a cameo). Intaglios, usually mounted in the bezels of finger rings, are much commoner than cameos, which tend to be larger and set as pendants, or are even, in a few cases, unset objects in their own right. Glass was also used in imitation of more expensive stones. Intaglios, which form the largest part of the present catalogue, had a practical purpose: they served as official or personel seals. Besides this function, intaglios were used as ornaments or as amulets, which were believed to have curative and protective power. Read more »

History

The building, which was used as the Municipality Building until it became the Kuva-yi Milliye (National Forces) Museum, was built in 1840, for the Treasury Officer of the province subdivision of Karesi, Mehmet Pasha as a lodge. Later on, in late 1800’s vanished in a fire. The grandchild Halit Pasha built a new mansion in its place and during the Independence War it was utilized for important services. Read more »

The museum is in Dumlupinar County Centre, 59 Km. Northwest of Afyonkarahisar.

Its construction started in 1990, completed at the end of 1996 and the museum officially opened during the Victory Week in 1997. This two-storey building is located at the same site with the Dumlupinar Monument.

Address:Kurtulus Avenue, Afyon

Telephone:+90 (272) 215 11 91

The museum building is one of the traditional Adana houses on Seyhan Avenue, built in 19th Century. A two-storey structure built of brick and stone with bay windows and pitch roof. Because of its peculiar characteristics, it is classified as “Cultural Real Estate under Conservation” by the Ministry and preserved in its original state. Read more »

Weaving can be defined as the production of a plain surface created by horizontal and vertical passing movements of weft and warp loops.
Warp loops standing side by side are divided into two with the help of a tool called a “nire,” and weft loops are passed through this empty space (called the mouthpiece) with the help of a shuttle, and plain surfaces are thus produced. Read more »

Clay is the result of granite rocks being eroded by nature, and is the most suitable material for making ceramics. On account of its pliable nature, clay is easy to shape and can keep that shape after being fired. The ceramic industry, based on these principles, is one of the oldest in the world. – Earthenware pots are made by mixing clay and water, and after the firing stage, objects made from it become hard and maintain their shape. Read more »

It is possible to classify traditional arts that use metals as a raw material according to the kind of metal employed, the purpose of the product, techniques employed etc.

It is known that in the Roman and Byzantine periods there were developed metal processing workshops in Anatolia. Beginning with the Seljuks, Islamic metalwork began to make progress. The Seljuks contributed to the development of metalwork in the same way that they did to that of many other branches of art.

In this period, there were developed metal workshops in the provinces of Konya, Mardin, Hasankeyf, Diyarbakır, Cizre, Siirt, Harput, Erzincan and Erzurum. It is also known that metalwork reached its highest level in Anatolia and the Balkans during the Ottoman period.
Ottomans metalwork centers are still functioning as centers of copperwork. These are: Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Mardin, Diyarbakır, Siirt, Tokat, Malatya, Elazığ, Erzurum, Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu, Sivas, Tokat, Kayseri, Çankırı, Çorum, Amasya,
Kastamonu, Konya, Burdur, Denizli, Afyon, Kütahya, Balıkesir, Bursa, Istanbul and Edirne.
In metal crafts, various techniques including castting, telkari, scraping, hammer work, tapping, küftgani, savatlama, ajur and cutting are used.

• Examples of Traditional Arts Based on Metal

Iron Working:

This is used for making doorknockers, kitchen equipment, harnesses, equipment for architecture, musical instruments etc.
In Anatolia, after the Bronze Age when copper was mixed with tin in order to produce bronze, metals such as copper, gold and silver were worked with various techniques such as casting.

Copper Working:

Research has shown that the history of copper working is very ancient and that copper mines have long been operating in Anatolia. Copper, which occupies an important place in Anatolian art, is also easily obtained.
Copper is widely used in daily life for pots, jewellery, helmets, and doorknockers and to decorate doors.
Copper is the mostly widely used metal. There are four techniques employed for making copper pots. These are: wroughting, casting, plating and pressing.
Today, copper is widely used for kitchen equipment, where the metal is plated with tin.
• Examples of Copper Crafts

Knife Making:

The knife, a cutting instrument consisting of a handle and a sharp-bladed body, has been in use in Anatolia since prehistoric times. Sadly, however, very information is available about the development of the knife.

Knives are named according to their shapes such as; pala, hançer, gaddane and saldırma. Their handles are plated with ebony, ivory, siver or gold. The blades of knives made for the palace were decorated with different precious stones such as diamonds, coral, rubies and emeralds.

In the middle of 19th century, knives made by hand gave way to those made by machine, and knife making improved. Today, we see table knives made of rustproof steel with stable handles, and collapsible pocket knives.

In some regions of Anatolia, knife handles are still decorated with various techniques.
Gold and Silverwork:

• Examples of Gold and Silver Work

Telkari:

Thin gold is worked in order to create three-dimensional objects, with various designs on them just before they loses their heat and while they are still pliable. Telkari is used for jewellery, cup holderss, boxes and mascara tubes.

Savat:

This method is usually employed with silver. Small holes opened on the surface of the metal are filled with a special black solution. There are three types of savat; plain, serrated and carved. Boxes, watches, cup holders and cigarette holders are made with the technique.

Cheap airway transport is getting stronger.

The importance of internet in deciding on travel destinations and making reservations is on the rise.

41% of 308 million travelers (123 million people) who have access to the internet decide on their destinations and buy holidays online.

Those who decide on their destinations online but make reservations in a different way are 81 million people. (27%)

It is predicted that culture tourism will have grown much bigger than international tourism by 2020.

Special interest destinations are slowly replacing mass tourism.

Tourists take environmental, cultural, ethnic and historical characteristics of the destinations more into consideration.

Responsible tourism, a tourism trend in which tourists become a part of local life and respect for the people and environment of the country they travel, is improving.

A higher number of consumers show cultural activities among their top five reasons to travel.

As a result of global warming, there will be climate change and tourism will be affected.

As Europe’s population is getting older, tourism types like health tourism and ecotourism is gaining importance.

Youth tourism has an ever-increasing importance in world tourism market. It is predicted that 20% of tourism movements will be due to youth tourism.

sees internet as the prior source of getting information and making reservations before taking decision,

prefers low-cost airline companies,

makes his/her own organization,

travels more but for shorter term,

makes his/her decision later than usual,

has a higher brand awareness,

is always in interaction with his/her surroundings for the best decision,

does not prefer package tours but special interest destinations,

is more sensitive to the environment,

wonders different cultures and activities.

Health and thermal tourism
• A thermal tourism master plan covering four regions shall be drafted, in the first place. These four regions will include the following:
South Marmara: Balikesir. Çanakkale and Yalova cities.
South Aegean Region: Aydin, Denizli, Manisa and Izmir cities.
Phrygian Region: Afyonkarahisar. Ankara. Usak. Eskişehir and Kütahya cities.

Central Anatolia: Aksaray. Kirsehir. Niğde. Nevşehir and Yozgat cities.
Balnéothérapie Centres to host thermal tourism operations shall be identified in the above specified regions, followed by efforts concentrated on implementing strategies aimed at developing the infra and superstructures for thermal tourism.
• In order to encourage private sector, public land and thermal spring allocation shall be made.
• Feasibility studies shall be ordered from specialised entities and persons for thermal thermal projects to be initialized by local governments.

• Thermal facilities shall be formed as stand alone compounds in design and incorporate hotel and curing centres annexed to them, all surrounded by green, with built in layout add ons like jogging and excursion tracks and entertainment facilities (i.e. water games such as aquatic parks and etc.). based on a perspective to enhance the quality of environment.
• With the exception of tourism centers falling outside the reference frames of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, all hotspring areas shall be drawn into architectural designs by professionals and technical opinion of the Ministry shall be solicited, before the designs are approved. In time of architectural plan applications, geology and hydrogeology surveys shall be carried out by relevant entities and organisations with specialised knowledge on the matter, but. the spring conservation sites will have to be identified, in the first place.
• The second house demands inside and adjacent to the hotspring locations shall be evaluated, once comprehensive studies are performed to affirm their viability.
• Use of thermal spring water at public locations (such as medical bathing centres etc.) will be encouraged, and no use of such waters at individually or mutually owned homes and housing cooperatives will be permitted. This prohibition shall include public areas not specifically authorised for use as lands to host related premises.
• Arrangements shall be made requiring operators to solicit and obtain approval of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism before attempting to make drills on or distribute water from those areas officially proclaimed as Tourism Centres by the Ministry.
• Every measure shall be taken and effort endeavoured to ensure that construction of thermal resort facilities is performed using state of the art technologies and in a dexterous and best workmanlike manner to successfully preserve and reflect the historical architecture and local texture (i.e. architectural designs of Ottoman. Seljuk and Roman times), with the ultimate goal of giving them an international traveller appealing appearance.
• Information on regions known to have hot spring facilities and thermal spring waters will be emphasized in promotion brochures.
• Financial grants obtained for infrastructure works (i.e. land drills, road pavements, potable and domestic water supplies, sewage lines etc.) and environmental layout arrangements will, in the first place, be used for pilot areas.
• thermal tourism shall be taken among the top priority incentive areas, in practice.
• Contacts will be established and maintained with healthcare and social aid organisations located on abroad.
• National and international symposia, seminars and promotional programs shall be held to inform the private sector and general society.

• The Ministry of Culture & Tourism shall pursue efforts as the sole and ultimate body responsible for the planning of areas with tourism potential and land segments that it chooses as appropriate areas for to host tourism developments.
• The Ministry of Culture & Tourism shall assume full and ultimate responsibility for setting up and implementing legal arrangements, plans, policies and projects that would direct the tourism industry also in the fields of marketing and promotion, education and R&D.
• The Ministry of Culture & Tourism shall set up and implement a National Tourism Certification Body, to develop certain standards in the field of tourism following a careful categorisation and determine the rules as per which practical implementation shall take place for realisation of enterprises, and

• A domestic Tourism Research and Steering Committee, which shall conduct studies on all kinds of research, analysis and policy-making aspects of domestic travel, and
• A Tourism Education Steering Committee, which shall host efforts dedicated to determining the outlines, content and strategies of policies on both formal and informal education in the discipline of tourism, and

• Finally a National Tourism Databank Unit, to render efforts dedicated to harvesting and retrieving, processing and evaluating statistical data, field research and findings and measurements about tourism and travel industry.