Turkish mayor steps on 2,000-year-old mosaics in high-heels, drawing social media ire

GAZİANTEP

Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin (2R) is seen with her aides standing on mosaics unearthed at the ancient site of Zeugma during a presentation event.

The mayor of Gaziantep and her aides have drawn the ire of social media users after pictures emerged showing them stepping on unique mosaics excavated from the ancient Roman city of Zeugma during a press presentation event.

Former Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Şahin, who was elected from the ranks of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as Gaziantep mayor in the March 30 local elections, was participating in an event to present three huge 2,000-year-old mosaics that will be added to the ancient city’s collection.

Pictures shared on social media showed Şahin, wearing high-heeled shoes, with a group of officials standing on the mosaics during the event.

All three mosaics were unearthed after five years of work in Zeugma, where archaeological excavations were carried out in a race against time before a large part of the site was flooded by the waters of the Birecik Dam.