Mustafa Kemal Baran (Turkey)

At Oxford, I read for a MSt in Classical Archaeology which included intensive coursework on Roman art and archaeology. In my papers at Oxford, I focused particularly on the sculptures and statuary of the Roman world to read possible cultural and artistic interactions. As an essential centre for sculptural production in Antiquity, I looked at the ancient city of Aphrodisias where I worked as a member of the excavation team in the summer of 2013. To complement my knowledge in Late Antiquity, I worked on the earlier periods of the Roman Empire during my time at Oxford.

Being an Ertegun Scholar allowed me to co-organize the international workshop titled “Bridging the Gap between Museums and Archaeological Sites: Insights from Turkey,” hosted by the Ertegun House in May, 2014. This workshop not only hosted scholars from the UK and Turkey and stimulated lively debates and discussions on the state of cultural heritage management in Turkey, but also set the initial theoretical framework for my further doctoral studies.

Ertegun Scholarship Programme provided me with a lively scholarly community and a smart, personal study-space which was accessible at all times—indeed a rarity at Oxford. I am genuinely grateful to Mica and Ahmet Ertegun for this incredible opportunity to be able to study at Oxford. I was extremely fortunate to work with fellow Ertegunians under the same roof and also to be mentored by Bryan Ward-Perkins during my time in Oxford.