400 year-old items awaiting new owners at Ankara Antique Bazaar

ANKARA — Antiques from across Turkey are on sale at the Ankara Antique Bazaar, which is held on the first Sunday of each month at the Ayrancı Street Bazar and the third Sunday of each month at the Çayyolu Street Bazar. A wide range of antiques including gramophone records, clocks, rings, embroideries, Ottoman-era shoes and agricultural machinery draws in hundreds of visitors. Sükrü Sarı, President of the Association Supporting Anatolian Antique Dealers, said that antiques have been sold on the first Sunday of each month at the Ayrancı Street Bazaar for the past 10 years. "The antique lovers buy these items for their home. If we do not protect these objects, some of our cultural values would be lost even before we could see. Our primary aim is to transfer our cultural heritage to future generations," said Sarı. There are antique items more than 400 years old and almost 90 percent of the objects on display are not used today. Sarı also reflected on the richness of the Anatolian culture saying, "There is a huge demand for our bazaar. Various antique pieces specific to different regions of Turkey are on exhibition.