1,500-Year-Old Mosaic Discovered in Turkey
A Turkish team has discovered a mosaic dating back approximately 1,500 years, decorated with paintings, in the ancient city of Dara in the Artuklu district of Mardin province, southeastern Turkey.
The Turkish Anadolu Agency reported on Monday that excavations in Dara, which began 39 years ago, have continued uninterrupted since its inclusion in the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism's "Future Heritage Project."
The ancient city of Dara was founded by the Eastern Roman Empire to protect its borders against the Sassanids.
During the excavations, remains of a cemetery (including mass graves), a church, a palace, a market, a dungeon, an armory, and a dam were found, in addition to more than 10,000 arrowheads, lamps, glass and ceramic pieces, and jewelry, according to Anadolu.
Mosaics in the shapes of drops and waves were recently discovered in buildings believed to have been used as residences, adjacent to shops and workshops.
The province's Director of Culture and Tourism, Yahan Gok, said, "Excavation work is being carried out meticulously after it was included in the Future Heritage Project last year." He noted that "the latest discovery is a mosaic believed to have been placed on the floor of a house for decorative purposes." He added, "The mosaic is approximately 50 square meters in area. We can understand that it was restored in two or three locations in ancient times."
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