The exhibition titled “Artefacts from the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Near East and Northern Africa” constitutes an invitation to embark upon a journey that traverses millennia of history across a geographical space rendered fascinating by the cultural density that characterized it from Antiquity onwards. At the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization, these artefacts – donations of President Emil Constantinescu – are given new life, transformed into witnesses of ages, civilizations and traditions that moulded the identities of the ancient world. Made of precious materials such as silver, bronze, copper, porcelain, fine ceramics or crystal, the items displayed open windows towards artistic universes in which symbols, beliefs and aesthetics have evolved alongside the peoples that created them.
The exhibition opens in a space dedicated to the Balkans, where traditions, crafts and aesthetics have often been intertwined with Eastern and Western influences. A bronze statuette, a replica of the famous horse engraved on a vessel discovered in Vače, opens a window to the universe of Slovenian prehistoric art. Sitting alongside it, contemporary Slovenian works such as Ljubica Kočica’s glass goblet decorated with a gilded medallion, Stane Kolman’s paperweight and Jože Plečnik’s replica of a statue depicting two ram’s heads, demonstrate a natural continuity between tradition and modernity. From Croatia, a faithful recreation of the “Mother Croatia” statue by the original artist, Ivan Meštrović, conveys the solemn simplicity and symbolic power of the maternal figure in South Slavic culture.
Albania stands out for the refinement of its filigrée: a delicate plate, jewellery boxes, and a paperweight demonstrate the meticulous work of artisans for whom silver became a network of thin, almost textile threads. From the same area, an original plate dating from the reign of Sultan Mehmet V, decorated with the imperial tughra, constitutes a remarkable example of Ottoman calligraphy. The tughra—the ornamental signature of the Ottoman Sultans—is a fundamental symbol of power, an exercise in calligraphic virtuosity, and a hallmark of Ottoman art all at once. In turn, Bulgaria completes the Balkan tableau with a statue depicting Saint Clement of Ohrid, a founding figure of early Slavic spirituality and culture, evoking the beginnings of the Cyrillic alphabet and of the Christian mission in the East.
A broad space of the exhibition is dedicated to Türkiye, a country and civilization whose cultural history reflects its unique role as a bridge between East and West. In Ottoman art, the working of precious metals would reach a particularly high level of refinement, primarily thanks to the Ehl-i Hiref guild of craftsmen, who decisively contributed to the formation of an unmistakable decorative style. The exhibition features a yataghan with a fine filigrée handle and scabbard, decorated using the murassa technique – a process whereby precious stones are inlaid into metal. Originating from the Denizli region, this yataghan is reminiscent of both the warrior traditions and aesthetic sensibilities of the Turkish people. In this space, visitors can also admire a flintlock musket with a stock carved into the shape of a wolf-dragon’s head, a motif present in Seljuk, Mamluk, and Safavid iconography, symbolizing power, protection, and the continuity of a tradition of leadership.
Alongside these weapons sits a replica of a pre-Hittite sun disk, discovered at Alacahöyük, enriching our perspective of prehistoric Anatolia and suggesting ritual functions that have yet to be fully understood by modernity. Ottoman silverware and jewellery, decorated with floral motifs interweaving Western artistic influences with Eastern traditions, illustrate the cultural openness of the Ottoman Empire. A jewellery box decorated with roses, richly decorated fruit bowls and vases, teapots, coffee pots, and chalices allow us to imagine the luxurious interior of an Ottoman home, where every domestic ritual object became an expression of artistic refinement.
World-famous Turkish ceramics are represented by plates and vases decorated with tulips—a flower that became the symbol of an entire epoch of Ottoman culture—as well as pieces in representative colours: sapphire blues, intense reds, and golden yellows. Standing before these items, visitors are invited to discover the connection between art, calligraphy, architecture, and everyday life in the Ottoman space.
Organically, two fields that had a decisive influence on the evolution of Ottoman culture fit neatly between these art forms: calligraphy and architecture. Arabic and, later, Ottoman calligraphy were considered the supreme forms of art in the Muslim world, as they represented the visibility of the Divine through worldly textual excellence. In the exhibition, Mehmet V’s tughra is not a simple decorative element, but an expression of this tradition—a combination of the rhythmic pulse of the line, the equilibrium of the lettering, and the symbolism of imperial power.
Ottoman architecture is evoked through an impressive album dedicated to “The History of the Architecture of the Ottoman Empire,” which attests to the breadth and aesthetic coherence of this lengthy tradition. Over the course of the millions of architectural details surveyed – from the domes of the Blue Mosque to the arabesques found on the tile coverings of the inner courtyard systems of Ottoman palaces – we find echoes of the same style that is evoked by the other pieces presented in the exhibition: a delicate balance between geometry, ornamentation, light, and proportionality. In this way, visitors can understand how the decoration of a simple porcelain vase or jewellery box reflects the same artistic spirit that shaped the great monuments of Istanbul.
The exhibition continues with a foray into the Hellenic world, where replicas of ancient vases, Cycladic statuettes, painted porcelain plates and reproductions of famous sculptures such as the Charioteer of Delphi or the goddess Athena bring to mind the ideals of harmony and symmetry that defined the aesthetics of Greek Antiquity. Each object on display recalls Greece's lasting influence over Mediterranean cultures, including those of the Balkans and Anatolia.
The final part of the exhibition opens up to North Africa, the Near East, and the Caucasus, each regions of breathtaking cultural diversity. Morocco is represented by painted ceramic plates and objects with metal inserts, evoking the artisanal tradition of the Maghreb. Egypt is represented by a filigrée silver ship, symbolizing the eternal connection between the Nile and the civilization that flourished on its banks.
The exhibition also features a number of Bronze-age artefacts from Israel, relics of an ancient world that laid the foundations for the religious traditions of the Near East, alongside silver and porcelain pieces that continue this cultural lineage. Armenia impresses with a chalcedony work carved into the shape of Mount Ararat, which is pierced by the bronze prow of Noah's Ark – an image of great symbolic significance. Georgian artefacts include obsidian tablets decorated with the Georgian alphabet in silver inlay, as well as a representation of St. George, the country’s spiritual patron. Azerbaijani art exhibits two copper plates crafted by artisans from Lahij, a town included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites for its metallurgical traditions, while Kazakhstan contributes a silver box in the shape of a yurt – evoking the mobility and freedom of nomadic life on the Central Asian steppe.
Through its richness and its diversity, the exhibition creates a space where civilizations meet. Each item on display bears witness to a shared history and stands as proof that, irrespective of its era or geographical area, art has the power to transcend both borders and time. Taken as a whole, this collection outlines a veritable cultural map of the Levant, a world in which different peoples not only coexisted but also built a common heritage together. In this way, the exhibition becomes a space not only for contemplation, but also for reflection on different facets of heritage, identity, and intercultural dialogue – values promoted by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization – and reaffirms the importance of cultural heritage not only as an element of continuity and communication across generations, but also as the foundation for attaining a deeper understanding of the world in which we live.
July 18 2025
November 19 2025
