Hierapolis Archeology Museum

One of the largest buildings of Hierapolis Ancient Town was the Roman Bath. Since 1984 this building has been used as the Hierapolis Archeology Museum. Alongside works of art from the excavations at Hierapolis are finds from Laodicea, Colossae, Tripolis, Attuda and other towns of the Lycus (Curuksu ) Valley.

In addition, the museum has a large section devoted to artifacts found at Beycesultan Hoyuk that includes some of the most beautiful examples of Bronze Age crafts.

Material which has come the surface in the Caria, Pisidia and Lydia regions are also on display in the museum. The museum's exhibition space consists of the three closed areas of the Hierapolis Bath and the open areas on the eastern side which are known to have been the library and the gymnasium. Many of the large exhibits and all the small exhibits are shown in rooms A, B and C that were the three closed sections of the bath. Marble and other stone artifacts are exhibited in the garden.

Room A
Room A contains finds from the excavations at Hierapolis and Laodicea, including sarcophagi, statues, gravestones, pedestals, pillars and inscriptions. Among these artifacts are statues of Tyche, Dionysos, Pan, Asklepios, Isis, Demeter and Triton, which although executed by the Romans were inspired by the Hellenistic traditions. Particularly interesting are representations of local customs on family tombs. Specific to this area are the most beautiful examples of baked earth sarcophagi.

One of the most valuable works of art in this room is the sarcophagus belonging to a certain Arhon of the 'Sidemera' type. With its inscription to Maximilion, it is the finest work to emerge from the ancient towns of Lahdi and Laodicea.

Room B
Room B mostly displays small finds from several civilizations of the last 4.000 years. These works, which are displayed in chronological order, include works from many archeological sites in and around Denizli. In this room separate importance is given to the finds from Beycesultan Hoyuk.

These finds are quite possibly the most beautiful examples from an ancient civilization. These works, which were found by the excavation conducted by the British Institute of Archeology, include idols, baked earth bowls, libation cups, seals and other stone artifacts. In other parts of the room are displayed objects from the Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods such as glass cups, necklaces, gemstones (in the form of rings, bracelets, earrings and so on) and earthenware lamps.

This room also contains an important sequence of ancient coins arranged in chronological order. The earliest of these coins were minted in the sixth century AD and the display proceeds through the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods with coins of gold, silver and bronze.

Room C
In this room decorative works from the theatre of Hierapolis, most of which have been restored, are displayed. Some of the reliefs of the scenery building remain in situ but parts of them have been replaced by copies. In the works that are found in the room there are reliefs devoted to the myth of Apollo and Artemis, the delights of Dionysos and the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus. There are depictions of the abduction of Persephone by Hades and sculpted sphinxes. Sculpted reliefs reminiscent of Attalos and Eumenes are on display. Inscriptions describing the coronation of the goddess Hierapolis and decisions of the assembly concerning the theatre may be seen.

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