2,000-year-old milestone used as coffee table in Turkey’s west

AYDIN

Frequenters of a local coffee house in Turkey’s western province of Aydın have been using a 2,000-year-old Roman milestone as a table for the last 25 years.

Zeynel Şenler, the owner of the coffee house, found the ancient milestone, considering it a usual slate, and placed it in his shop.

Many customers of the shop have been drinking tea and coffee, playing traditional games like backgammon and a tile-based game called okey, on the ancient artifact.

An archeologist, working at the Museum of Aphrodisias, saw the age-old milestone by chance and brought its history into open.

The milestone was being used at a signpost in the Roman period, showing directions to the ancient city of Aphrodisias, according to the archeological works.

After the incident, the ancient ruins have been transferred to the museum.