Preserving the Archaeological Past in Turkey and Greece THE J.M. KAPLAN FUND GRANTMAKING INITIATIVE, 2007-2015 PRESERVING THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PAST IN TURKEY AND GREECE The J.M. Kaplan Fund Grantmaking Initiative, 2007 –2015 2 THE J.M. KAPLAN FUND www.jmkfund.org Published by The J.M. Kaplan Fund 71 West 23rd Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10010 Preserving the Archaeological Past in Turkey and Greece publication copyright © 2017 The J.M. Kaplan Fund. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Publication design by BRADY ART www.bradyart.com Cover: Anastylosis of the Propylon at Aphrodisias, Turkey Right: Temple of Artemis at Sardis, Turkey 3 4 CONTENTS 6 FOREWORD By Ken Lustbader 8 INTRODUCTION 12 GRANTMAKING MAP SITE PRESERVATION GRANTS NEOLITHIC PERIOD 14 Göbekli Tepe 20 Çatalhöyük BRONZE AGE PERIOD 24 Mochlos & Ayios Vasileios 30 Pylos 32 Tell Atchana & Tell Tayinat IRON AGE PERIOD 36 Kınık Höyük 38 Gordion ARCHAIC-CLASSICAL PERIOD 42 Labraunda HELLENISTIC PERIOD 46 Delos ROMAN PERIOD 50 Aphrodisias 56 Ephesus BYZANTINE PERIOD 60 Hierapolis 64 Kızıl Kilise (Red Church), Cappadocia 66 Meryem Ana Kilise (Mother of God Church), Cappadocia 68 Ani 5 MULTI-PERIOD SITES 72 Pergamon 76 Sardis 80 Karkemish CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS 82 REGRANTING PROGRAM Institute for Aegean Prehistory Study Center for East Crete 83 CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, & WORKSHOPS Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations Istanbul Kultur University German Archaeological Institute at Athens Technical Educational Institute of Athens 86 SITE MANAGEMENT & PLANNING American School of Classical Studies at Athens 87 FELLOWSHIP & INTERNSHIP FOR SITE MANAGEMENT Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations University of Pennsylvania 88 DOCUMENTATION Archaeological Settlements of Turkey Project APPENDIX 89 Index of Awards in Turkey and Greece, 2007–2015 93 Site Visits 94 Photography Credits 95 Acknowledgments image: Church of the Holy Redeemer 6 FOREWORD Between 2007 and 2015, I was fortunate to work with the By the end of 2008, it became clear that the board had a collective board and staff of The J.M. Kaplan Fund overseeing its cultural interest in Ancient Greek and Roman architecture and archaeol- heritage grantmaking.This was a dream job, since I had previously ogy, but I still needed to devise a grantmaking rationale. The best worked on the other side of the table in the not-for-profit pres- approach would be to develop a multi-year program to support ervation sector. Now I had the resources to develop grantmaking site preservation projects in a specific country or region, based on strategies that could catalyze projects, with potential funding a specific period of significance. To this end, we explored countries already in hand. in the Near to Middle East with a significant number of ancient sites, identifying potential partners and projects. Turkey was a This publication summarizes a portion of the preservation pro- lead contender, with its renowned collection of historic resourc- gram during my tenure focused on architectural and archaeologi- es spanning multiple eras, including Ancient Greek and Roman cal conservation projects in the Aegean Basin, specifically in Turkey archaeological sites in need of conservation. Additionally, Turkey and Greece. Through research, pluck, and serendipity, I worked was a good fit due to the board’s prior familiarity with Meryem with the board to develop a diverse portfolio of almost 30 projects Ana Kilise (Mother of God Church) in Cappadocia, where it that ranged from a prominent reconstruction at Aphrodisias, funded a project in 2007 through the World Monuments Fund. to installing a massive chain link security fence at Göbekli Tepe, to training Greek and Turkish conservators, to land acquisition The country was also a logical choice since the Turkish Ministry at Ayios Vasileios. of Culture and Tourism had recently begun promulgating the conservation of its archaeological heritage as part of licensed When I joined the Fund, I was familiar with its reputation and excavation projects. Historically, such projects focused on pedigree as one of the country’s most influential supporters of research and publication, but the Ministry was now emphasizing historic preservation, especially in New York City and New York archaeological conservation to ensure the preservation of sites State. What I didn’t know was that the Fund had embarked upon vital to its tourism industry. This presented an opportunity for preservation initiatives around the world, beginning in 2000 under the Fund to support conservation projects in Turkey, since most the leadership of J.M.’s grandchildren. excavation teams had little or no funding for this critical work. One of my initial tasks was to develop a strategy for this inter- I then began the task of identifying potential partners and projects national preservation portfolio. The board asked me to identify for site preservation projects in Turkey by cold-calls, emails, and projects where the Fund’s support would help conserve great word-of-mouth inquiries. To survey potential projects first-hand, works of archaeology and architecture. This was akin to finding a group of board members and I made an expedition to Turkey in a needle in a haystack, given the wide parameters of exploration June 2009, which included site visits, meetings with archaeologists and vast number of sites where the Fund’s philanthropic support and architects, and exposure to cultural heritage practices. This could create change. It was also a crash course in archaeology, since one-week trip was a primer on all things related to historic preser- my professional background had primarily focused on 19th- and vation and site conservation. From early morning to late at night, 20th-century architecture in New York City. we crisscrossed the country from Istanbul to Cappadocia and places in between, including Aphrodisias and Ephesus. Our bus Over the next year I reached out to experts and organizations became a traveling classroom, where board members peppered in the field of international cultural heritage to identify issues, me with questions on topics from archaeological management opportunities, and needs. This wide-ranging inquiry offered a to materials testing. We also tried to seize every opportunity. In wealth of ideas and advice, if not a clear-cut strategy. Through one instance, we learned that Kızıl Kilise (Red Church), a dete- the generous guidance of colleagues, I identified a number of riorating 5th-century church, wasn’t far from where we were in potential projects, which culminated in a handful of site preser- Cappadocia. So we detoured an extra two hours to visit this ruin, vation grants awarded in Turkey, Tunisia, Pakistan, and India in set amid a picturesque field. On the trip back to our hotel, we partnership with the World Monuments Fund and the Aga Khan strategized how the Fund could help, and six months later a grant Historic Cities Programme. was awarded to stabilize this important site. 7 Upon our return, I worked with the board to develop projects Collectively, the grants profiled in this publication embody the based on criteria including resource significance, organizational Fund’s entrepreneurial history while meeting the program’s goal capacity, project budget, risk and reward, and completion sched- of using philanthropic support to conserve significant sites for ule. Over time, I was introduced to a number of excavation teams, the public. The images and text provide the facts, but they don’t enabling me to develop a portfolio of potential site preserva- convey the importance of the valuable relationships that were tion projects that focused on prioritized conservation. The first cultivated over nine years. Those personal connections, and the grants were awarded in late 2009, primarily focusing on specific board’s nimble grantmaking, allowed me to respond to wonder- conservation projects. ful restoration projects as well as to the chance encounters that were cultivated into funding opportunities. Grantmaking continued through 2010 and 2011, as I built rela- tionships with American, European, and Turkish colleagues to I am grateful for this rewarding professional experience that develop specific projects. Following productive conversations helped address pragmatic conservation needs in the Aegean and exchanges with these archaeologists, architects, and con- Basin. I hope that this publication offers a glimpse into our work servators, I recommended expanding the initial site preservation in these two culturally rich countries. strategy to include conservation training and education. New grants were awarded that included opportunities for Turkish na- Ken Lustbader tionals to partake in conservation training, seminars in archaeo- Director logical management, and conservation fellowships. Historic Preservation (2007–2015) By 2014, the Fund had built a strong track record as a respected funder of conservation projects in Turkey. It became clear that we couldn’t ignore the reality that nearby Greece was in the midst of an economic crisis, with severe impacts upon cultural resources: sites were closed, conservation staffs eliminated, and government employees forced into early retirement. These cuts were creating long-term, corrosive problems, and the board and I agreed to explore how philanthropic support could help. These inquiries led to my recommendation that we expand the geo- graphic focus of grantmaking across the Aegean Basin to include both Turkey and Greece. The Fund thus set out to identify promising opportunities in Greece. To address the unemployment and under-employment of Greek cultural heritage professionals, grantmaking focused on training and education tied to archaeological conservation proj- ects. This provided ongoing opportunities for hands-on training in the field, classroom education, and emergency repairs in need of funding. As in Turkey, I identified committed partners at insti- tutes and universities in order to develop potential grants that would assist with the training of Greek conservators in tandem with site preservation. 8 INTRODUCTION Giving the past a future Between 2007 and 2015, The J.M.