Making Lemonade, Turkey Style

Sometimes plans go awry, and the itinerary must be changed. We weren't originally supposed to visit Ankara, the capital of Turkey, but we definitely made the most of our couple days there. It's quite a pleasant city. These photos are from the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, an absolute must see.The reconstruction of a typical dwelling at Catal Huyuk. I learned about this important Neolithic settlement (c. 7500-5700 BC) in World Art in high school, so I was really excited to see this exhibit. They buried the bones of their ancestors in the floor of the house, as you can see at bottom center. Fascinating stuff!Fertility goddesses galore!Neo-Hittite orthostat of a chimera, carved out of basalt. Three-headed sphinx. It is a winged lion with a head of a bird of prey on its tail. On top of its head is a human head with a long plait, and wearing a conical hat. The details on its foot are very clear."Winged Griffin-Demons." Also Neo-Hittite. Their hands rise above their heads, supposedly carrying the sky.Then to a charming Ottoman house for lunch!