On early antiquarians in Asia Minor to the start of the 19th century

Abstract

This paper covers a period of 400 years, from 1400 to 1800, and the antiquarian activities of more than 60 named Europeans, there are doubtless others, who were involved in transcribing, and at times, through their agents and Ottoman associates, guides, villagers and Greek priests, those who related the position and at times enabled the physical removal of ancient inscriptions from Asia Minor; as well as the associated antiquarian collecting of “marbles,” ancient manuscripts, medals-coins, inscribed gem-stones and other inscription bearing materials. Some of this material was lost at sea, while some ancient inscriptions brought from Asia Minor were da­maged, lost or destroyed in warfare in Europe. Following Ciriaco de Pizzicolli’s transcriptions in the 15th c. and the few inscriptions transcribed by Pierre Belon in 1546-9, it seems to have been the Bishop of Agria (Eger), Antonius Verantius’s transcription of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti and the copy made by Busbecq’s servants in Ankara in 1555 which, when circulated and then published, underlined to European scholars the importance of the surviving ancient epigraphic record in Asia Minor. From the start of the 17th c. an increasing number of educated European antiquarians undertook the recording of the surviving visible inscriptions, largely in coastal re­gions and along the major trade routes of Asia Minor. Note is taken of the variety of recorded Ottoman views concerning these ancient inscriptions, of their transcription and, at times, their removal by European berat holders; together with some examples of the inaccuracies of the transcriptions of inscriptions that were made.

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