Halet Çambel

Halet Çambel

Aug. 27, 1916 - Jan. 12, 2014

Turkish Archaeologist + Olympic Fencer

Halet Çambel

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Halet Çambel was born in Berlin, and grew up visiting the historic sites of Istanbul on school trips and performing fencing. She studied Archaeology at Sorbonne University in Paris, France, then became a scientific assistant at Istanbul University while studying for her doctorate. Later, she became a lecturer and founded the Institute of Prehistory at University of Saarbrücken in Germany.

Çambel was also active in promoting the preservation of Turkey’s cultural heritage and fought tirelessly for the advancement of archaeology. She helped preserve some of Turkey’s most important archaeological sites near the Ceyhan River and established an outdoor museum at Karatepe. She played a key role in excavating Karatepe, the walled city located at the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey, and the decryption of the Hittite hieroglyphics found there.

Halet's drawing of the Karatepe-Aslantas excavation site.

In 2004, Çambel received the Prince Claus Award in the Netherlands for “conducting rescue excavations of endangered heritage sites, introducing stone restoration and ensuring proper conservation of significant cultural heritage in Turkey” and “for her dedicated scholarship and for her unique role in expanding the possibilities for interaction between people and their cultural heritage.”

As if her work in archaeology wasn’t inspiring enough, Çambel was also an accomplished athlete. In fact, she was the first Muslim woman to compete in the Olympics, competing in the women’s individual foil event at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Çambel (front, third from left) was one of Turkey's first two female Olympians.