Huge Roman mosaic found while planting cherry saplings

A man planting cherry saplings on his field in Salkaya village near Elazig, eastern Anatolia, found a huge ancient floor mosaic depicting a dazzling array of local animals and plant life. It dates to the late Roman Imperial period or the early Byzantine period.

Mehmet Emin Sualp spotted glimpses of patterns through the planting holes and reported it to the Elazığ Museum Directorate and the gendarmerie. The museum and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism excavated the field and uncovered a single-piece floor mosaic 904 square feet in area. It depicts a whole bestiary of animals, including lions, mountain goats, ducks, greyhounds, deer, pheasants, wild boars, bears, geese and Anatolian leopards. There are also tree and plant species mixed in with the animals. Geometric patterns — triangles, lozenges, kites, concentric square boxes — border the mosaic extending all the way to the walls.

Elazig Governor Numan Hatipoglu described it as one of the largest mosaic pieces discovered in the region, showcasing a vibrant representation of local wildlife and flora. […]

“This is an incredible find for our region,” stated Governor Hatipoglu. “The vibrant representation of local fauna, including bears, wild boars, and various deer species, vividly reflects the area’s biodiversity during the Roman and Byzantine periods.” He emphasized the significance of this discovery and indicated that further excavations could reveal even more historical artifacts, potentially leading to a strategic development for exhibitions in the future.

See overhead drone footage of the entire mosaic in this video:

* This article was originally published here