Antique toys from millennia past showcased in Ankara

Antique children's toys from different museums in Türkiye have been brought together in a temporary exhibition at the Ankara Ethnography Museum.

Toys made of baked clay and wood, found in the collections of museums such as Troya in Canakkale, and museums in Bursa, Mardin, and Kocaeli, present examples of children's play habits from ancient times.

The exhibition includes many artifacts, such as a toy car made of baked clay dating back to 4000 or 3000 BC, which is among the world's first toy cars, puppets that formed the first prototypes of today's puppets, the first whistles, game boards, various animal figurines and warrior soldier figurines.

The exhibition opened at the Temporary Exhibition Area of the Ankara Ethnography Museum and can be visited until July 23rd, organised by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums.

Ali Haydar Atalar, the director of the Ankara Ethnography Museum, stated that they are presenting the rare artifacts in Türkiye’s distinguished museums in the interest of visitors.

‘Not ordinary’

Atalar mentioned that tablets containing information about games are also included in the exhibition. Atalar said, "We can see the ancient examples of cars that we used by tying strings and pulling them in our childhood. Of course, these examples from ancient times reflect how advanced the culture was”

“We are talking about works that carry many compositions, meanings, and significance, not just an ordinary toy car."

Atalar pointed out that the toys could have been designed by families for their children or prepared by skilled craftsmen and artists. He mentioned that the oldest toy among the exhibited artifacts is a toy car from the collection of the Mardin Museum.

He also stated that the Ankara Ethnography Museum will continue its efforts to bring various artworks to visitors through temporary exhibitions.

Children visiting the temporary exhibition with their families at the museum expressed interest in noting the differences between the artifacts and their own modern toys.