The ruins of Laodicea

Description

Featured in the 1836 collaborative work of Thomas Allom and Robert Walsh, this steel engraving depicts the monumental ruins of the ancient city of Laodicea near Denizli. While a majestic mountain range and massive ancient arched structures rise in the background, the foreground illustrates local nomadic people (Yörüks) who have pitched a tent, lit a fire, and are resting among ruined architectural fragments, cornices, and columns. Along with the camels in the midground, the artwork is a historical cross-section documenting how Anatolia's deep-rooted ancient heritage and the pastoral, productive, and nomadic lifestyle of the 19th century organically intertwined in the same geography.