Millet Museum, which is located in the antique city of Miletos, 40 km. from the Söke district of Aydın, was opened to public in 1973. It is designed to display the archeological findings from Milet in general. It consists of a hall with a pool and one large and one smaller hall which open up to this area. Mycenae ceramics dated back to XVth millenium B.C,and items from Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantian, Seljuk and Ottoman periods are on display.
Milet
It was an important Mycenaen colony around the middle of 2000 B.C and a considerably well developed commercial and cultural center. Milet sustained this status and thus its importance during the Roman period, and lost its commercial significance when the Latmos bay filled up during the time of the Byzantians. It was turned into a Turkish Balat by the Menteşe Dynasty in the XIIIth century and enjoyed a brilliant period as the capital of Menteşeoğulları.
Coming from the Söke direction, moving on the road turning in to historical site of Milet, the first thing one notices is the theater and the Byzantian castle above it. Going through the theater, the ancient the caravansary in front of it, Faustina Bath, İlyas Bey Mosque, Serapis Temple Bouleterion, Sacred Road, Ionic Stoa, Northern Agora, Delphinion, Hanikah, Port Monument and St Michael Church are the major sites to be seen.
Prienne
It is near the Güllübahçe settlement, 15 km from the center of the Söke district. It is laid out according to the plan of famous urban architect Hippoddamos from Miletos and shows Hellenistic characteristics. Prienne which has reached our times in a well preserved stage, was under Roman and Byzantine dominance after the rule of the Pergamon Kingdom.
Sites worth seeing are Prytaneum, Bouleterion, houses, Athena Temple, Grand Church, Baptisterium, Theater, Upper Gymnasion, Egyptian Temple, Sacred Stoa, Agora and the Alexander the Great Temple along the Main Street or the Sacred House.
Didim
It is 55 km. from Söke district center.
"Didymaion" means twin and the fact it is given as a name to this area may be seen as supporting evidence to the claim that Appollon and Artemis, later the daughter of Titan and the Chief God of the archaic world, Zeus and former the son of Leto were twins.
Approaching the Appollon Temple before reaching the shops along both sides of the sacred path, there is the small Artemis Temple where excavations are still in progress. It is not yet open for visitors.
Archaic Didymaion was built towards the end of VIII th millenium B.C. The temple which enjoyed some importance in Ionia, became even greater when the city of Miletos gained general acceptance. In later years, the Appollon Temple was torn down by the Persians.
During the times of Alexander the Great, the torn down temple was replaced by a bigger temple with 124 columns
The Hall of Emperors
The most beautiful examples of portraits forming the main character of Roman sculpture, are presented in this hall. All of the statues were found in the Perge excavations.
There are many statues of 2-3rd centuries because the most magnificent period of the region in its historical development is this period.
There are portrait statues of Emperor Traion, Hadrian, Septimius Severus, Sabina, Faustina, Julia Domna, Julia Soemias, Plankia Magna and there are also statues of Three beauties and a belly dancer statue made of black and white marble.
The Hall of Grave Cultures
The two walled tombs in the hall belong to Domitias Filickas and his family. On the cover, the wife and husband arc shown to be lying. The Erases on the corners symbolize the happiness of a family. The other important walled tomb's, dating from 2 A.D., subject is Herakles. One of the walled tombs is the most striking example of Illegal trafficking of antique works. A piece of the walled tombs which was broken off and smuggled, was brought from USA and mounted to its place in 1983.
Appropriate to the original positions, grave steles sprinkled on the soil ground and ash pots are presented in the hall.
The Halls of Mosaics and Icons
The most important of the mosaics in the museum is the Mosaic of Philosophers which was found in Seleukeia excavation and on the border of which the names of famous thinkers of antique age such as Solon. Tukyclides, Lykurgos, Heredotus, Demostenes, Itesiodos and the names of orators, historians and mathematicians take place. On another mosaic corning from Seleukia, Orpheus, charming the wild animals with his pipe is described.
There are also corners shared for examples of local sculpture, chipping equipment, bronze sculpture techniques in this section.
The icons presented in this hall are collected from the region of Antalya and dating generally from 18th and 19th centuries.
The Hall of Coins
The 2500 year tradition of coining money dating from 6 B.C., its technique, economy is presented in an educational order in the hall. In the presentation, state coins of the Pamphilia, Pisidio, Likia regions, and generally regional coins of the chronological order of Classic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk ages and Ottoman Period are mainly focussed on.
There are also gold an silver treasures in this section.
Etnography Halls
The ethnography section of our museum is formed of two big halls and a passage combing these halls.
In the first hall; chinaware's, porcelains, religious works, signs, seals, charms, watches, ornamental goods, locks keys and clothes are presented.
Chinaware's arc Seljuk and Ottoman works. The Seljuk chinaware's are brought from Aspendos and they are also Kubadabat type and they were made 'sıraltı� technique in the middle of 13th century.
The Ottoman chinaware in square panel forms are examples of İznik works from 15-16-17 and 18th centuries.
Five porcelain plates are the productions of Yıldız Factory which had worked for a short time till the end of 1920.
Religious works, are objects that can always be seen in all of the regions of Anatolia. But the Seljuk Koran�ı Kerim which we can call it our regional work has a different importance.
Signs, seals, charm and watches are presented in one of the display windows. The charms are spell binding prayers and their charms are used for different purposes.
The ornamental goods are the best examples of accessories still used in Antalya.
There are also keys and locks presented as qualified works.
Clothes, purple velvets embroidered with silver tread and Yörük materials can be examined in two sections Yörük clothes socks, baggy trousers, long robes worn over baggy trousers, undershirts, purses, girdles and caps can all be thoroughly seen.
In the section ensuring the passage to the 2nd hall there are written plates such as hilyes, naats, icazets and katığs of our calligraphers.
The second hall is formed of four sections of carpets, Yörük materials, rooms and guns.
Besides the regional works and materials in this hall, the carpets of Uşak, Gördes, Ladik, Mucur, Bergama, Kula an Avonos are presented. He oldest carpet in our carpet collection is an Uşak carpet of 16th century.
The Döşemealtı carpet has an important place in the ethnography works of the region. Döşemealtı is the name of a place in the northeastern part of Antalya. The �Halelli� carpets are the oldest and traditional examples of the carpets among Döşemealtı carpets. These works are of nomad character and small sized. The sacks saddle boas, iğliks, prayer rugs, sills, cicims, sumaks which show the rug techniques of Antalya region, are presented with black tents as Yörük works.
A part of the hall is shared for a living, sleeping and both rooms of a modest Antalya home.
In a port of the display windows, arrows, bows, and knives; guns and rifles with flint stone and swords, equipment of dervish lodges; powder flasks, powder scales, and oil cans and also guns and supporting materials are presented.
Besides this, the weighing equipment's, goat hair spinners and counters such as Çulfalık, musical instruments, spoons can be emphasized as local equipment and works.
The pipe with cover, Yörük and zerk kemence and the pipe made from on eagle's wing bone are interesting works.
Spoons which are from Bademli village of Cevizli of Akseki are presented from its design phase to its completed and organized forms.
Children's Section
A hall in the entrance of our museum was organized as Children Museum, which is first in our country.
In the display windows of this section, there are different toys of children and moneyboxes of antique ages.
For making the children love the museums, antique works and drawing their attention; simple work restorations, and educational working possibilities of ceramic sculpture and drawing are provides and their works are presented, in the studio section.