2,000-year-old mosaic-decorated villa unearthed in City of Tripolis

DENİZLİ – Anadolu Agency

An archeological team has unearthed a 12-room villa with mosaic-covered floors and walls decorated with colorful frescoes and vegetative geometric figures in the ancient city of Tripolis located in Turkey’s Aegean region. The villa is estimated to be nearly 2,000 years old, according to the head of the excavation team.

Pamukkale University Archeology Department Academic Assoc. Prof. Bahadır Duman, who is also the head of the excavation team, told state-run Anadolu Agency that 35 people were involved in the restoration activities of places that were discovered in previous years in the ancient city where they have been working for the last six years. He noted that the findings they reached in 2012 showed the existence of an agriculture-based society in the ancient city, which is now located in the Buldan district of Denizli province. Buldan is famous both for its civil architecture and handmade textile.

“We have found traces of the production and trade activities of various fruits, including grapes, figs and pomegranates in this area,” he added. In 2013, the team started to work in the residential area of the ancient site, discovering mosaics on the floors, Duman said.

“We have accelerated our excavation works in this area this year. We have recently unearthed a five-meter-wide and 45-meter-long road which was used for transportation to the residence area,” he added.

‘House of a leading agriculture dealer’

The team has also unearthed a 2,000-year-old villa, Duman said.

“The construction of this villa decorated with mosaics probably started in late Hellenistic Age, namely some 2,000 years ago. The owner of the villa was probably a leading agriculture dealer as the room floors are covered with mosaics and the walls with colorful frescos and vegetative geometric figures,” he noted, adding that the villa also had a canalization system, which is still functioning very well.

“The villa also has a large bathroom and living room as well a large parental bedroom and bedrooms for children and for house employees. We have also found a spatial area which was used to store various valuable liquids, such as perfume, and olive oil. The family members who lived in this villa might even be in the business of selling these products,” Duman also said. It is believed that the whole neighborhood was perched on a 600-square-meter of land, he noted, adding that only one of the villas in this neighborhood has been unearthed yet.

“We hope to unearth all dwelling in this site in the next three or four years,” Duman added. Meanwhile, a figurative fresco and a male statue were unearthed during excavations in Tripolis back in 2014.