More mosaic areas on display in Germanicia

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

Two new mosaic areas, which were unearthed during the excavations in the ancient city of Germanicia in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş, have now been presented to visitors.

Archaeological excavations started after the ancient city of Germanicia, which covers an area of 140 hectares in Şeyhadil, Bağlarbaşı, Namık Kemal and Dulkadiroğlu neighborhoods in Dulkadiroğlu district, was launched as a third-degree archaeological site in 2010.

The expropriation, excavation and establishment works have been going on in the area with the cooperation of Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Kahramanmaraş Governor’s Office and the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism since 2018.

The restoration was carried out for a 100-square-meter mosaic area in the Bağlarbaşı neighborhood and a 45-square-meter mosaic area in Dulkadiroğlu district. Facilities with roof cover system, walkway and viewing platform were built in these areas and they were opened to visitors free of charge.

Approximately 300 square meters of mosaics, depicting the religion, social life and daily life of the period, as well as plant and geometric shapes, await visitors.

Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Seydihan Küçükdağlı told the state-run Anadolu Agency that they were happy that the floor mosaics in the ancient city of Germanicia were opened to visitors.

Stating that the excavation, detection and expropriation were carried out meticulously as the region is a residential area, Küçükdağlı said, “In 2019, with the cooperation of the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorate (YIKOP) and the support received from the Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency, the necessary studies for mosaic layers in two separate areas were completed. The roof covering system, camera systems, walkways and viewing platforms, restoration works and landscaping were ready in August, and two more archaeological sites were opened free of charge in addition to the first site.”

Stating that three archaeological sites are currently hosting visitors, Küçükdağlı said, “Currently, nearly 300 square meters of mosaic layers unearthed in three separate areas are presented to local and foreign visitors as an archaeological site. Each mosaic layer unearthed will be brought into tourism in the same way. The mosaics dating back to the Roman city of Germanicia in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. were unearthed during archaeological works. These works are very important because the mosaics are world cultural heritage and it is necessary to protect them. Mosaics will contribute to Kahramanmaraş’s cultural tourism and academic studies of experts.”

The ancient city was discovered in 2007 during illegal excavations. Registration, expropriation, excavation and preservation works have still been ongoing to uncover the ancient city.

Mosaics that covered the floors have brought to light the social life of the late Roman era. The mosaics have entered the archaeology literature in the multi-language publication of the World Mosaic Unions and have increased the importance of the region.