Excavators Uncover 20-by-25-Foot Roman Mosaic in Turkey, Showing Rare River God Eurymedon
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 30
Excavators Uncover 20-by-25-Foot Roman Mosaic in Turkey, Showing Rare River God Eurymedon
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 30
Summary
Aspendos excavators uncovered a roughly 20-by-25-foot Roman mosaic on Theater Street in southern Turkey, with the floor depicting the youthful river god Eurymedon.
Turkish officials date the mosaic to the early 3rd century A.D. and say it likely formed the floor of a pool, showing the god with reed leaves beside an amphora pouring water.
Researchers believe the mosaic extends into still-unexcavated areas and that the structure was later divided into separate rooms after the 262 A.D. earthquake.
Turkish authorities called the find scientifically important because river-god depictions are exceptionally rare in mosaic art and only a limited number of Eurymedon examples are known.
Aspendos lies near the biblical city of Perga, linked to the Apostle Paul's first missionary journey, and the discovery adds to a run of Roman- and early Christian-era finds in Turkey.