Sivas is one of the cities in Turkey where the concept of museology was first developed and the first museum was established in 1923. The Sivas Archaeology Museum building was constructed between 1896 and 1899 as the Industrial School. In 1911, the building underwent an expansion, becoming the School of Art and Carpet with some additional structures, and was subsequently converted into an Ironworking and Carpentry workshop. The edifice has served as the Sivas Archaeology Museum since 2009. The museum houses a number of significant artefacts, including fossil remains belonging to various animals dating to the Late Miocene Period of 9 million years ago, archaeological artefacts from the Chalcolithic Age to the end of the Ottoman Period, terracotta potteries, daily use artefacts of different forms and features, metal and medical instruments, religious (ritual) vessels, Hittite tablets, cylinder seals, seals and seal impressions, coins and jewelleries. Two noteworthy artifacts in the museum are the sarcophagus of a woman and her baby dating to the Roman Period from the Kayalıpınar ancient site and a Hittite seal ring made of pure gold. The first monumental sculpture of the Ottoman period, the statue of Osman Gazi, is also housed in the museum. It was made in 1916 and commissioned by Muammer Bey, the Governor of the Hafik District of Sivas. The statue was relocated to the Sivas Museum in 1943.
SİVAS ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
