Ornate Mosaics From Ancient Greek Bath House Depicts Various Scenes of Marine Life Not Typical to the Region

Archaeologists recently unearthed several unique mosaics from Turkey. The discovery was made in Herakleia, an ancient Greek city located at the western base of Mount Latmus, stated Greek City Times. The mosaics contained interesting subjects, some typical for the region, while others were not. Prof. Dr. Zeliha Gider Büyüközer from Selçuk University’s Archaeology Department led the project.

The excavation was done under the "Heritage to the Future" initiative, in which the government funds the exploration of a Roman bathhouse complex to increase tourism. At the complex, the team of experts spotted several mosaics depicting eels, crocodiles, flamingos, and dolphins. There were six crocodile figures in the mosaic of the complex's frigidarium (cold room), and all of them were facing each other. At the tepidarium (warm area), the mosaic floor had four dolphins, one in each corner. The presence of crocodiles was noteworthy because the area's climate does not support these beings.

Considering the accuracy, with which the creatures were drawn, researchers believe the artist had first-hand knowledge about crocodile's appearance. "The mosaic artist must have observed a crocodile firsthand, as the depiction’s intricate detail suggests. This indicates the artisan might have been a traveling master craftsman who worked in regions inhabited by crocodiles," commented Prof. Büyüközer.

One of the mosaics also features two flamingos holding eels in their mouths. The whole illustration has been crafted out of red stones. "Flamingos are species that still inhabit this region today. The artist has captured the fauna from the local geography," added Prof. Büyüközer. Eeels are also valuable animals in this region's ecosystem, stated All That's Interesting.

Locals were surprised by the revelation. Coincidentally they had been using the structure for purposes associated with animals. The practice of using the bathhouse to raise animals has been prevalent since the fall of Rome. To this date, the region next to the bath is being utilized as a barn. "We never thought of this place as an archaeological site," one resident said. "We never imagined it held such treasures."

The civilians were delighted to discover something so valuable in their surroundings and appreciated the archaeologists for their efforts. "I tied my animals here for years to protect them from the rain and cold. I was very surprised when I saw the mosaics and figures that were unearthed after the excavation started here," 68-year-old Turcen Aydin, a local of the area said. "The excavation team did a great job here. Thanks to them, we saw the historical artifacts here. I was very happy. I never even thought of seeing something like this. It turns out that we lived on a piece of history and we didn’t know it."

Researchers noted that Herakleia was created keeping in mind a Hippodamian grid layout. This implied that the streets were constructed in such a way, that they oriented to the cardinal points, and were all centered around the agora. Along with the bathhouse, archaeologists also found rock-cut tombs, temples, a theater, a Byzantine-era fortress, and a nymphaeum from the site.