A
team of archeologists led by Professor Kutalmış Görkay of Ankara
University recently unearthed three ancient Greek mosaics in the
Turkish city of Zeugma near the border of Syria. The excavation
project,
which began in 2007, was spurred on by flooding in the area due to
the construction of a dam. Fearing that the ancient treasures of
Zeugma would be lost forever, archeologists rushed to excavate,
protect, and conserve the relics of the past, including the
remarkably intact glass mosaics that date back to the 2nd century BC.
Although part of the city is now submerged underwater, excavations
continue in the hopes of uncovering more historical artifacts.
According
to Görkay, the colorful mosaics were integral parts of homes
millennia ago. Depicting various mythological figures such as gods,
goddesses, and ancient heroes, the mosaics were installed in a room
so that guests could admire them while chatting and drinking. Subject
matter was carefully selected according to the function of a room—for
example, a bedroom might feature a mosaic that portrayed lovers such
as Eros and Telete. Mosaics also reflected the homeowner's tastes and
intellectual interests. The
ancient city of Zeugma has a history that dates back to the 3rd
century BC, when it was established as a Greek settlement called
Seleucia by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great’s
commanders. In 64 BC, the Romans conquered and renamed the town
"Zeugma," a word meaning "bridge" or "crossing"
in ancient Greek. For several centuries, Zeugma served as one of the
most important centers of the Eastern Roman Empire thanks to its
geographic location on the border between the Greco-Roman world and
the Persian Empire. As the Roman Empire declined, so did Zeugma,
until it finally fell in AD 253 when Sassanids from Persia attacked
the city. For over a thousand years, the importance and grandeur of
the former cultural crossroads was forgotten, until new life began to
be breathed into the city thanks to attention from the ongoing
excavations.