A beautiful mosaic that archaeologists found in Turkey! This mosaic is over 2000 years old!
Excavations were conducted in the ancient city of Zeugma in Turkey. Due to circumstances, the city was nearly completely submerged in water!
A dam on the Euphrates, less than 2 km away from the city, caused a catastrophic flood.
Over many years, the water kept rising, which played into the hands of archaeologists. Knowing that the city would soon be completely flooded,
Archaeologists were digging in a flooded city when they found this – they were simply amazed
A group of archaeologists led by Prof. Kutalmis Gorkay doubled their excavation efforts to rescue the ancient relics in time.
The mosaic depicts nine Greek Muses and was created on the owner’s order, according to the archaeologist.
Apparently, the owner was well-educated and familiar with science and art. Besides this one, there are many other mosaics in Zeugma.
Zeugma is located in the south of Turkey, at the border of ancient empires, at the crossroads of time.
The city was founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals and conquered by the Romans three centuries later.
As a city near the border, Zeugma became a center of trade and the meeting of various cultures.
Most of the mosaics depict figures from Greek mythology. For example, Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, is shown above. And on the mosaic below: the sea and Tethys.
Archaeologists were digging in a flooded city when they found this – they were simply amazed
Some of the mosaics also show Roman influence, like this mosaic depicting a gypsy woman. At its peak, an estimated 80,000 people lived in Zeugma.
Kutalmis’ group is still active despite the flood; they plan to preserve and restore the remaining part of the ancient city.
Of course, we will never fully know the history of Zeugma, and it’s sad to think that this beauty will remain buried for centuries due to a man-made structure – a dam.
