ANTALYA, TURKEY—Türkiye Today reports that a third-century A.D. mosaic depicting a river god has been uncovered at the site of Aspendos in southern Anatolia. The image shows “Young Eurymedon,” a symbol of the Eurymedon River, which flowed near the city. Young Eurymedon wears reed leaves on his head and holds some in one hand as he leans on an amphora from which water flows as a symbol of fertility. Fish swim in the life-giving water. “This discovery not only reveals the artistic richness of Aspendos, but also provides important scientific data on Roman-period Anatolian mosaic art,” said Nuri Ersoy, Turkey’s culture and tourism minister. The mosaic was found in a structure that may have been a pool measuring about 80 feet long by about 20 feet wide along Theatre Street, which connects the city’s acropolis to its theater. The pool is thought to have been divided with interior walls after an earthquake struck the region in A.D. 262. To read about another mosaic that was recently unearthed in Turkey, go to "A Day at the Hunt."
