7.10.2025
8 Dakika
A page from an ancient manuscript, a coin, or a small figurine… Each one is a silent witness to history, a storyteller bridging past and present. Yet, despite all preventive efforts, many of these objects face the threat of disappearing into the shadows of illicit trafficking. The ICOM Red List reminds us all of our shared responsibility to protect them. To safeguard such an object is not only to preserve an artifact, it's also to keep history alive. And now, the ICOM Red List dedicated to Türkiye’s cultural heritage is here to guide us all.
The Red List for Türkiye presents endangered cultural assets under seven main categories, making them visible and recognizable in the face of trafficking risks. From manuscripts to coins, sculptures to documents, this list is not just an inventory, it is a map of belonging. Every image is a warning, every title a reminder. Let’s take a closer look:
Among Türkiye’s cultural heritage, manuscripts and documents hold a special place. Texts inscribed on clay tablets in Hittite, Akkadian, Sumerian, or Assyrian, inscriptions ranging from Arabic to Turkish, and illuminated manuscripts on parchment… Each one preserves a civilization’s memory, beliefs, and voice. Whether on clay, stone, paper, or parchment, every written trace strengthens our bond with the past—a bond now at risk of being severed by trafficking. That is why they are included in the Red List.
Cultural memory is also carried in everyday objects. Pots, jars, and containers of various forms—whether made of clay, bronze, silver, gold, or ceramics—bring us traces of past societies. Sometimes part of a household table, sometimes an element of ritual, sometimes the work of skilled craftsmanship, these vessels mirror lifestyles and aesthetics. When taken from their original context, the stories they carry are lost as well.
Heritage is preserved not only in writing or utility but also in form and representation. Human and animal figures crafted in terracotta, bronze, or stone embody the aesthetic, spiritual, and symbolic worlds of ancient societies. A god, a ritual, a daily scene—each depiction offers a glimpse into a civilization’s way of seeing the world. Removed from their context, these clues to meaning are broken.
Carved reliefs on stone, figurative mosaics, tiles, and carved wooden doors... Each one carries not only the physical identity of a building, but also its cultural and aesthetic identity. These decorations reveal the connection a belief system has with a place, the community's understanding of beauty, and its narrative form. When these structures, where aesthetic sensibilities and beliefs converge, are damaged, these spaces lose their voice.
Small in size yet immense in meaning, coins also hold a place on the Red List. Cast in bronze, silver, or gold across centuries, they are more than currency: they are markers of identity, power, and artistry. Their inscriptions and symbols tell the story of an era. Taken away, they leave a void in our collective memory.
Heritage is shaped by how people lived, fought, and celebrated. Military gear, ritual objects, and jewelry—crafted from bronze, ivory, or precious stones—reflect both individual expression and collective life. When removed, we lose the intimate details and silent witnesses of a culture.
The deepest layers of cultural memory often come through faith. Carved, painted, or cast in wood, stone, bronze, or fabric, sacred objects embody the relationship between a people and the divine. Votive stelae, sarcophagi, and tombstones preserve both personal memory and communal narrative. Separated from their context, they take with them an irreplaceable part of cultural identity.
Every inscription, every vessel, every coin is a voice from the past, a way of remembering and expressing identity. The ICOM Red List serves as a warning, a reminder, and a call to action: cultural heritage must be protected, for without it, stories fade and memory is erased.
To protect is not only to possess; it is to understand, to tell, and to keep alive. The ICOM Red List is part of this effort, meeting all those who wish to safeguard cultural heritage. Don’t forget to explore the list!
