My first acquaintance with Muazzez İlmiye Çığ began with our sponsorship of her documentary. At the time, I was the CEO of the family business, Süzer Holding. I don’t quite remember how it happened, but Serkan Koç, the producer, somehow got in touch with me and pitched the project.
I only knew Muazzez İlmiye Çığ from what I had read in the newspapers. Since she was one of the scientists nurtured during Atatürk’s era, I felt a natural affection for her. In the end, I decided she deserved to be supported and used my authority at the time to make sure Süzer Holding sponsored the documentary.
My First Encounter with Muazzez Hanım
Later, my friendship with Serkan Koç deepened, and he kindly stood by me for many of my own filming projects as well. After founding my first venture—Hitit Solar, a CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) company—I contacted Serkan again and requested a meeting with Muazzez İlmiye Çığ. Our company logo featured the Hittite sun disk. For those unfamiliar, the Hittite sun disk—a symbol of the Hittite civilization and art—consists of a central sun surrounded by various elements.
Muazzez Hanım and her daughter welcomed us into their home in Ataköy, and we had a wonderful conversation about Hittite history. This extraordinary woman, nearly a hundred years old at the time, had a brilliant mind. She could think with a sharpness that would put young people to shame. There’s no need to elaborate on the vastness of her knowledge. She had an opinion on everything and could go into meticulous detail on any topic.
It was an honor to have met her.
Later on, we reunited at an event organized around republican women and took the photo below together.
This photo was taken at the “Deniz Kültür” venue in Levent, during the premiere of the documentary.
In fact, when I was going through a tough time later, I used that photo in a blog post to showcase her as a role model of the intelligent and educated Turkish woman. Here’s the link to that piece titled “From Lady to Woman: Beyond Words in the Fight for Equality”:
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/bayandan-kadina-esitlik-mucadelesinde-laftan-otesi-
Sinan Meydan’s Article
Recently, I came across an article by historian and author Sinan Meydan that perfectly echoed my own sentiments about Muazzez İlmiye Çığ. I’m sharing it below, and I fully endorse every word of it:
Muazzez İlmiye Çığ was one of the symbols of the secular Republic founded by Atatürk. She embodied Atatürk’s vision and perception of civilization. When Atatürk established the Republic of Turkey, he embraced a comprehensive and inclusive view of civilization rooted in the legacy of Anatolia and surrounding regions. He founded the Faculty of Language, History, and Geography in Ankara, reformed the universities, and transformed the Istanbul Darülfünun into Istanbul University in 1933. He promoted disciplines such as Sumerology, Hittitology, Anthropology, and Archaeology, invited world-renowned experts like Sumerologist Landsberger and Hittitologist Güterbock to Turkey, established departments for Sumerology and Hittitology, opened archaeology museums, restarted Hittite excavations, championed the development of Turkish history and language theses, and organized historical and linguistic congresses. To boost awareness of Sumerian and Hittite civilizations, he named two state-owned banks SÜMERBANK and ETİBANK.
Atatürk wanted to raise Turkish male and female scientists, historians, and archaeologists. He even groomed his adopted daughter, Afet İnan, in this direction.
Muazzez İlmiye Çığ is a product of Atatürk’s broad historical vision and the value he placed on women.
Muazzez İlmiye Çığ will continue to remind future generations of the Sumerians, the importance of historical consciousness, the women’s revolution, Atatürk’s vision, and the ideals of the secular Republic.
Serkan Koç’s Documentary Series
While I’m on the subject, I’d like to share the documentary series by Serkan Koç in which Muazzez Hanım recounts historical knowledge in her own words. You can find it on his YouTube page:
1st Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRw229-5aOA
2nd Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k42Rh5Hv0uA
3rd Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql9xvCmrXss
4th Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jse3dDwGgvI
5th Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTl4er0EIVU
6th Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or4KbIulhNQ
7th Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts68DBShypM
8th Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqGadJHd3CQ
In addition to this series, I also recommend watching Serkan Koç’s excellent feature-length documentary focused on Muazzez Hanım’s life: “The Sumerian Queen: Muazzez İlmiye Çığ.”
Lastly, let me share a final interview she gave at the age of 109 last year.
An Exemplary Turkish Woman
After watching all this, one can clearly see that Muazzez İlmiye Çığ was a model Turkish woman who embodied Atatürk’s vision.
In my opinion, someone like Muazzez İlmiye Çığ—constantly evolving, well-read, knowledgeable, a true expert in her field, and a nurturing figure who raised a strong family—deserves to be counted among our role models.
I always say: in any country, it is women who raise the children. If women are well-educated, the country will thrive. The more Muazzez’s a nation has, the stronger and more unshakable it becomes.
This was the idea that motivated me to support the documentary. Without such a foundation, a country is doomed to collapse like Syria—a hollow shell with no roots. Thankfully, Atatürk and the heroes who stood beside him laid a solid foundation when establishing the Republic. Despite all the erosion over the years, that foundation is why our Republic still stands strong.
Atatürk was aware of this. His goal was to leave behind generations that would sustain and advance the independent Republic of Turkey. Muazzez İlmiye Çığ emerged in such a time. And today, we continue to raise new Muazzez’s. We have many women scientists and athletes who’ve gained international recognition. It is our collective responsibility, as citizens, to support and multiply their numbers.
But to ensure that the future does not slip from light into darkness, there’s still much work to do. And once again, women will play the leading role in shaping the country’s future.
Tag: Memoir
