See a close-up of the relief below.
As is usually the case at archaeological museums, such sarcophagi, as well as architectural members (for example, the column capitals on gallery page 3) and statues (like the hermeros on gallery page 4), are left outside, often without labels. Many such artefacts are not even mentioned in museum guide books. Often the objects are placed against a wall, as in the case of this sarcophagus, so that it is impossible to see the rear.
It sometimes seems as if they have been taken from where they have been found, dumped in a courtyard and forgotten about: surplus to requirements or not in keeping with the museum exhibition's design or programme.
This is surely not the intention of museum directors. Space in museums is often limited, particularly at smaller museums such as this one, where newly discovered and conserved artefacts are being continually added. Objects also need their own space, so that the exhibition does not become too crowded.
It is understandable that it is just too difficult to fit such large objects as this sarcophagus into the building. Many visitors, epecially those on short visits or in tour groups, are simply not attracted by such exhibits as architectural bits and pieces, headless statues or inscriptions, and want to see the more well-known star attractions, such as the "Beautiful Artemis Ephesia". More obscure objects are usually attractive only to those with a particular interest in ancient art and culture.
Museums often attempt to make a virtue of a necessity by placing these objects in an atrium or courtyard, where there may also be a café, and where they can be dicovered by visitors with more time and curiosity. Such curiosity could be further encouraged and rewarded by the provision of information about the pieces.
In the case of other such objects, like the hermeros, they are often placed in front of the museum building as a form of advertising or invitation. The hermeros and sarcophagi at the entrance to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum tells the passer-by "this is definitely an archaeological museum and we have so many wonderful exhibits inside that we can afford to leave a few out in the open".
Until at least the 1980s one of the Artemis statues (or was it a copy?) actually stood in the street outside the museum. Those were different times, when Selçuk was a small, sleepy town. In present conditions of security consciousness and international art theft, such a thing is unthinkable. |
