'Tsantsas' (human heads) to be returned to the country they came from
0'Tsantsas' (human heads) to be returned to the country they came from
Some of the 1045 artifacts, including historical artifacts from different periods and human heads called 'tsantsa', were reported, which were seized during operations to a house and warehouse in the Aliağa district of Izmir. It has been determined that 870 of the artifacts are archaeological artifacts of Anatolian origin, and the reports of artifacts originating from South America, Africa and Egypt will be returned when they are completed.
During the operations carried out on a house and a warehouse in the Aliağa district of İzmir with three days intervals last year, 1045 objects including historical artifacts, ethnographic artifacts, oil paintings, church materials, books, icons and artifacts from different cultures were seized. . Among the artifacts, human heads called 'tsantsa', which were cut and reduced by special processes by the Jivaro Indians living in Peru and the depths of the Amazon, drew attention.
The artifacts found with the intelligence work of the Izmir Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate teams were handed over to the Izmir Museum Directorate for investigations. In the study conducted here, it was determined that 870 of the artifacts were archaeological artifacts of Anatolian origin.
Of the other works, 76 were ethnographic works, 23 were books, 27 were paintings, 5 were icons, and 35 were in product groups from different cultures. 9 of the objects were found to be fake in the first examination. Making a statement on the subject, İzmir Archeology Museum Director Cengiz Topal stated that some of the reports have been completed.
"WORKS WILL BE RETURNED TO COUNTRIES"
"As a result of an operation in İzmir's Aliağa district, artifacts from different groups were seized. Our investigations continue. Reports for those included in the scope of archaeological artifacts have been completed. There are manuscripts, paintings and some artifact groups that we think may belong to other cultures," he said. Cengiz Topal, Director of the Izmir Archeology Museum, told the following:
"We want to have them reported by their own expert groups. Our experts came from the Hagia Sophia Museum for manuscripts and church materials. Reports on this subject have been completed. There are some artifacts that may be of South American, African and Egyptian origin. Studies and examinations on these artifacts continue. After the artifacts belonging to these countries are identified, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will contact the relevant units of the countries and the artifacts will be returned to the countries."
"THERE ARE PERIODIC DIFFERENCES"
Expressing that each group has periodic differences within itself, Topal said, "It was determined that around 870 artifacts, that is, a large group, are archaeological artifacts of Anatolian origin. Artifacts collected from different parts of Anatolia since it is a collection collection. These are the works that are already in the field of study of our museum. "The painting process was completed. The paintings were examined by experts. Ethnographic items such as carpets and rugs were also examined. This is a judicial process. When the process is completed, it will enter the records in the museums," he said.