Unveiling the Treasures of Ephesus

Efes Museum has artifacts from the city of Efes, which was in its prime during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The Church of St Jean where St Jean the gospel writer is buried; and the Belevi burial monument on Ayasuluk Hill. The museum also displays artifacts found in excavations conducted in the immediate vicinity of the city.

The head and body of Dionysus, the god of wine, is carved naked, slightly inclined to the left, with his curly hair falling to his shoulders.

The statue is dated to the Roman Period. Dionysus is leaning against a vine stock with his right leg crossed in front of his left leg.

It has all the characteristic features of sculpture from the Classical period. The style of the famous sculptor Polykleitos can be seen in the prominent groin muscles.

This ivory frieze was found fractured into very small pieces in a layer devastated by a fire in the Yamaç Evler region. The panels of the frieze were separated from each other by Corinthian columns. Female figures called caryatids were placed between these columns.

The frieze is divided into three separate panels.

It depicts Emperor Trajanus' preparations for war, followed by scenes from the war. It is believed that the piece belonged to the lintel of a gate or was used for decorative purposes in furniture. The frieze was put together after a long restoration process.

This sculpture depicts the god of love, Eros, on a dolphin. It is made of bronze and is well preserved. 

The dolphin is lifting its tail in the air as it swims. The holes in the eyes and nose of the dolphin indicate that the sculpture was part of a fountain.

This statue is a Roman copy of the cult statue in the Temple of Artemis. It exhibits features associated with Kybele, the mother goddess of Anatolia since the prehistoric age. This colossal statue was found in Prytaneum in Ephesus. It has all the features of Artemis of Ephesus.

The polos (crown) on its head has the appearance of a temple with three floors. At the top there are three Ionic temples with four columns. At the bottom, sphinxes and griffins carrying arches can be seen. The upper layers show the sovereignty of the goddess over all the temples.

Under the chest, oval objects related to fertility are seen in four rows. At Artemis’ waist, there is a four-piece rosette and a thin belt adorned with bee motifs, the symbol of Ephesus. In every rectangle there are figures such as lions, rams, deer, griffins, and bees.

The prestigious neocorate was first awarded to the people of Efes after they constructed the Temple of Domitian. In return, the people of Ephesus allocated a large area to this temple in the city center, on a high terrace.

All that remains is the head and left arm. It previously stood in the cellar of the temple.It is believed that the statue was about 7 meters high. The head, arms and legs were made of marble and other parts were made of wood. However, there is nothing left of the wooden sections.

This sculpture was made of bronze and stood on a rectangular pedestal. It has a posture typical of the archaic period.

On the left shoulder of the priest is the pelt of a panther, extending towards the waist. A ribbon with hieroglyph text appears over the head of the panther and extends towards the back.

The statue has a knee-length skirt with hieroglyph edging. The text mentions the god the priest serves and the then king of Egypt. This is a very important artifact because it shows Efes' relationship with Egypt.

The statue of the Roman emperor and stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius is made of high-quality white marble. 

The emperor is wearing a paludamentum (a type of cloak or cape), which is attached with a fibula (brooch) on his right shoulder. The wrinkles on the emperor's forehead are clearly visible. The statue is dated to the Roman period, 2nd century.

This statue is made of marble. It depicts a young warrior, naked in a half-sitting position. The weight of his body is on his left arm. 

He is leaning on a rock. There is a calm expression on his face. His hair is tied back with a band over the forehead.