SALKAYA, TURKEY—According to a Euronews report, a large, nearly intact mosaic dated to the late Roman period was discovered by a farmer in eastern Turkey, near the Roman Empire’s border with Persia. A collapsed wooden roof covered the floor and likely aided in its preservation. Archaeologist Emre Çayir of the Elaziğ Archaeology and Ethnography Museum said that the mosaic covers more than 900 square feet and features hunting scenes, including a lion chasing a mountain goat, a bear pursuing a stag, greyhounds cornering a wild boar, and a depiction of an Anatolian leopard with its teeth on the neck of an ostrich. Pheasants, ducks, geese, roses, and pomegranate trees are also shown. Çayir thinks the mosaic may have been in the home of a Roman official as an expression of his power. Remains of a basalt road, an irrigation channel, a possible winery, and coins were also unearthed at the site. It has not yet been decided if the mosaic will be moved to a museum. To read about more Roman mosaics found in Turkey, go to "Zeugma After the Flood."
