Connecting Constantinople: The City and the World in Objects is a Masterclass that explores how objects shaped connections between Constantinople and other cities through the theoretical lens of object mobility. The masterclass will be held on 25-27 October 2026. APPLY BY 9 SEPTEMBER 2026!
What can a single object reveal about the life of a city? From Constantine the Great’s legendary transfer of the Palladium to Constantinople, to Selim I’s symbolic acquisition of the keys to the Kaaba, Istanbul’s objects have long served as powerful agents in shaping urban identities, political authority, and inter-city connections. This masterclass, organized by the NIT and the Connecting Constantinople project, invites (R)MA and PhD students to explore the dynamic histories of such objects on site – engaging with them not merely as artifacts, but as active participants in the making of cities.
Focusing on Constantinople/Istanbul across Antiquity, the Medieval, and (Early) Modern periods, we will examine how objects moved between cities, how they were collected, displayed, exchanged, or seized, and how these processes forged complex networks of inter-urban relationships. A central part of the masterclass involves visiting the city’s monuments which will be perceived not just as architectural spaces, but as material assemblages of various objects and building materials which originated from different places and regions. Attention will be paid to imperial and curated collections such as those housed in Topkapı Palace - including the Sacred Trusts (Emanat-ı Mukaddese) - and the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, where objects from across vast geographies were gathered, curated, and recontextualized in the service of imperial and cultural narratives.
Participants will be encouraged to approach the city itself as a layered collection, shaped by the movement and accumulation of objects across time. By engaging with key concepts such as object relationality (the interconnectedness of places through objects) and mobility (the circulation and transformation of objects), students will learn to “read” the city through its objects - tracing how material culture connects Istanbul to Rome, Mecca, and beyond. Together, we will consider questions such as:
By bridging disciplines and periods, this masterclass offers a fresh framework for understanding Constantinople/Istanbul as a cosmopolitan hub embedded in vast, evolving networks articulated by objects. Moving beyond simple models of “center and periphery,” we will uncover how the accumulation and circulation of objects reveal layered, interconnected urban worlds - and how historical actors themselves understood and shaped these connections.
By the end of this masterclass, students will be able to:
Students will select an object from a master-list of objects housed in the Istanbul’s Archaeological Museums, Topkapı Palace (including the Sacred Relics), and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. The students will then be divided in groups of four and will prepare a short presentation of 20 minutes in which each student will briefly present their object through the theoretical lens of the Connecting Constantinople project and collectively reflect on the larger collection in which the object is housed. (R)MA and PhD Students who successfully participate in the Masterclass will be credited with 2 ECTS (workload: ca. 56 hours) and a certificate which they can submit at their institute’s board of examinations. The workload includes analyzing preliminary readings, basic research (selection and analysis of source materials), preparing the presentation with your team members, the city walk, attendance and participation in the two seminars, and the research visits to the city’s museum collections.
Friday 9 October (University of Amsterdam / Zoom)
Masterclass Introduction and Prep-Meeting: During this meeting, students will be introduced to the Connecting Constantinople project, the masterclass, and selected objects from Istanbul’s main museum collections. Students will also be divided into research groups based on the objects they selected. The list of objects will be distributed one week before class. Students from outside the Netherlands may participate via Zoom.
Sunday 25 October (Istanbul)
Connecting Constantinople City Walk: On Sunday, the teaching team will organize a city walk visiting the city’s highlights (incl. Eyüp Sultan Mosque, Süleymaniye-moskee, Kapalıçarşı, Column of Constantine, the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia) with a specific focus on the accumulation and mobility of objects. The tour will also feature a boat trip following the route of the sword used in the Ottoman coronation ceremony.
Monday 26 October (NIT, Istanbul)
Masterclass Day I: In the morning, students will participate in the first seminar of the masterclass. This seminar will introduce them to the project’s main methodology and theoretical framework, as well as other approaches to studying the objects of Constantinople/Istanbul. The main focus of this seminar will be objects brought to Constantinople from other cities and regions. In the afternoon, after the lunch break, students will visit one of the city’s main museum collections with their research teams to contextualize their objects and prepare their presentations. The collections include those housed in Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Topkapı Palace (including the Sacred Relics), and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts.
Tuesday 27 October (NIT, Istanbul)
Masterclass Day II: In the morning, students will participate in the second seminar, which will focus on objects moved from Constantinople to other parts of the world. In the afternoon, after the lunch break, the research teams will present their objects and case studies in short 20-minute presentations. A response will be provided by a leading expert in the field.
Interested students and PhD candidates enrolled at Dutch and Turkish universities - particularly those affiliated with the Dutch Research School in Classics (OIKOS), Utrecht University, and the Amsterdam Centre for Ancient History and Archaeology (ACASA) - are cordially invited to register for the masterclass. There will be space for 20 students and priority will be given to graduate students and PhD candidates. Those wishing to participate in the masterclass may apply until 9 September 2026 by sending an email expressing their interest, together with a brief CV and a short letter of motivation (maximum 500 words), to Dr. Kay Boers (K.Boers@uva.nl) and the project assistant Marleen Wormsbecher (marleen.wormsbecher@student.uva.nl). Students are also encouraged to pitch an object from the relevant collections in their letter of motivation.
Reading materials, the object list, and further practical information will be provided upon registration. A reminder concerning registration will be circulated approximately one week before the application deadline.
Members of OIKOS and people affiliated with Dutch and Turkish universities who are interested in the city walk, seminars, or other activities are welcome to attend. Registration is required.
* * Interested students are advised to consult the administration of their home institution prior to enrolment in order to verify whether ECTS credits and the certificate issued upon successful completion of the masterclass will be recognized and accepted by their institution. They are also encouraged to contact the masterclass organizers to discuss any institution-specific requirements and eligibility considerations.
There is no registration fee for this masterclass. Students will be responsible for their own travel, accommodation and living expenses. Participants will also be expected to purchase the Istanbul Tourist Pass, the cost of which will be partially reimbursed by the masterclass to students enrolled in Dutch universities. Further details will follow closer to the event.
The NIT (Netherlands Institute in Turkey) is a research center dedicated to the study of the historical cultures and societies of Anatolia and Turkey. It conducts historical and archaeological research and seeks to stimulate and facilitate academic study in Turkey by both scholars and students from the Netherlands and abroad.
Connecting Constantinople: The City and the World in Objects (2024 -present) is an interdisciplinary research project that explores how objects shaped connections between Constantinople and other cities through the theoretical lens of object mobility. The project is supervised by Dr. Kay Boers (University of Amsterdam) and Dr. Rolf Strootman (Utrecht University).
Questions can be addressed to Dr. Kay Boers (K.Boers@uva.nl) and Marleen Wormsbecher (marleen.wormsbecher@student.uva.nl).
We look forward to welcoming you to the masterclass!
Kay Boers (UvA)
Rolf Strootman (UU)
Fokke Gerritsen (NIT)
Marleen Wormsbecher (UvA)