Looking for “a happier race of archaeologists:” Western Characterizations of Ottoman Archaeology

Diane Favro, University of California, Los Angeles

Home to ancient cultures and religions, the territory of the Ottoman Empire boasted impressive sites and histories that irresistibly attracted westerners.  Collectively, these European explorers and scholars participated in the formation of archaeology as a discipline.  Ottoman attempts to join the elite archaeological circle were met with derision.  English-language publications characterized the Turkish people as incapable of studying, displaying, and appreciating the “inexhaustible” artifacts within their lands.  Descriptions of Turks as infantile, uneducated, dishonest, greedy, and bestial reflected both racial prejudice and the assumed western right to archaeological sites in the Near East, especially to those that resulted in beautiful antiquities and fame.  While archaeology in Ottoman lands and the avaricious plundering to fill western museums have been extensively critiqued, the potent exchange between east and west likewise provides valuable insights into discipline formation.  Foreign attitudes shaped the endeavors of Ottoman archaeologists, often with unanticipated results.  The external devaluation of Ottoman careers and achievements compromised the scientific evaluation of specific sites and subjects.  Well-reasoned Ottoman legislation restricting foreign excavations and appropriation sparked overt outrage and complicated spin doctoring about cultural patrimony and nationalism in the western press.  The mud slung during the formation of Ottoman archaeology still clings.