Museum in Turkey showcases historic glass

Glass objects dating back thousands of years have gone on display in a new museum in Turkey.

The Medusa Glass Artifacts Museum, in the south-eastern province of Gaziantep in Turkey, displays glass items spanning more than 9,000 years of history.

People enjoying holidays and group tours in this part of Turkey with a thirst for historical glassware may want to investigate the museum further during their stay.

The first museum of its kind in Turkey, the privately-owned venture is based in three Antep houses near Gaziantep Castle, which have been restored. It exhibits almost 5,000 pieces from between 7500 BC and 1600 AD.

Ranging from Bronze Age figures to Islamic gold coins, there are also items from the Roman, Greek, Hittite, Urartu and Byzantine eras. Artefacts include jewellery made from gold, glass and stone, perfume bottles and glass cups.

Of particular interest is a glass milk pump, along with mammoth bones which are 150,000 years old.

The museum is said to have one of the most historically valuable collections in Turkey and it has been registered in the Culture and Tourism Ministry's inventory.