Yesemek Open Air Museum

Yesemek was the largest stone quarry and statue-processing worksite of Near East between the fourth quarter of the 2nd thousand B.C. and 8th century B.C. Its on Karatepe Hills of Yesemek Village 22 kms southeast of Islahiye.

The region was ruled by Hittite between 1375-1335 BC. in this period in the Emperor of Suppilluma I the administration of the workshop was started where local people were working. In the worksite where activities are slowed down for a while, studies again ganied speed during late Hittite Kingdoms Period. During new period especially Hittite, Syrian, Aromi and Assyrian Art Elements gained importance. This style, which is named as Orientalism, formed the core of The Greek Art by affecting Agean cultures. It’s known that the activities of the worksite was ended by Assyrians and the masters were taken to Assyrian the last quarter of the 8th century. Everything stayed still and the time is like frozen till 1890. In the open-air museum where nearly 300 scetch pieces of statues were digged out and exhibited in an order. most of the sketches are constitutedby gate lions.

This open place where sphinxes, gate lions, sitting lions, winged lions, God of Mount reliefs which represents Amanos Mountains, war scene reliefs and architectural pieces are exhibited in their natural environment; is made an open-air museum by Gaziantep Museum Office by making an environmental arrangement. As a result, Yesemek stone-quarry and statue worksite is in the characteristic of a flawless statue-school which is understood to be administrated with big organization.

It’s a place where all the phases; cutting of the stones from quarry, preparation and completion of the statue sketches can be seen with the examples. Despite the technological and artistic development of our time it’s been impossible to reach a worksite as large as Yesemek and the number of the working sculptures in that worksite. This situation shows the greatness of the importance that people living here gave to art.