2,000-year-old mosaic on display in Samsun after 30 years

SAMSUN

A 2,000-year-old mosaic, accidentally discovered during roadworks in the northern province of Samsun but kept in storage for some 30 years due to limitations on exhibition space, is now on display at the newly renovated Samsun Museum.

Dating back to the Late Roman Period, the glamorous 50-square-meter mosaics underwent restoration before being put on display at the new building dedicated to the museum.

“It had been securely preserved in storage for nearly 30 years. Following our relocation to our new museum, we pulled it from our storage and showcased it to our audience,” archaeologist Samet Armağan said.

Shedding light on the structure of the artwork, Armağan noted that Achilles — a hero of the Trojan War in Greek Mythology — and his mother, Tethys, appear in the middle section of the mosaics.

Indicating that all of these mosaics were created by adhering little stones to one another, Armağan underlined that they discovered fragments of these exceptional artworks in the first stage.

“The piece contains a scene when Achilles is traveling to the Trojan War. Around it are four God-shaped figures,” he further explained, adding that these four woman-shaped figures represent the seasons of the year.

There are some other exciting works on display in the new Samsun Museum, which opened on March 13 this year.

The Amisos Treasure, found during a construction excavation in the province in 1995 and considered the most valuable treasure belonging to the dynasty members of the Pontus Kingdom, is on exhibit in the new Samsun Museum as well.