Tisan’s mosaics receive protection at a museum

MERSİN - Anadolu Agency

AA photo

An area with mosaics in the southern province of Mersin’s Tisan Peninsula is set to turn into an open-air museum. 

“It is by great chance that the mosaics have not been damaged so far in the open air. We want this beauty to survive for more years,” Silifke Tourism Association Chairman Ali Küçük said, noting that a museum to ensure their protection would soon be established.

The Tisan Peninsula in Silifke district is known for its verdant nature and turquoise sea, along for its wealth of historical artifacts.

The area with mosaics on the peninsula, which is believed to have been established as a Greek colony in the seventh century B.C., has figures that have not been destroyed for centuries. 

He said the mosaic area had been home to the Romans and the Byzantines. 

Although Tisan no longer boasts many of its historical artifacts, the areas with mosaics that feature figures like flowers, partridges and ducks had survived, Küçük said.

He said the mosaics were important in terms of archaeology because they bore the traces of many civilizations. 

“Due to its location, Tisan had an important place in history. It is a completely closed natural harbor. It has two – eastern and western – coves. It is protected against all weather conditions and suitable for ship maintenance. This is why the Greeks established a colony here. It drew the attention of all civilizations,” Küçük said.