Turkey, mosaic depicting the muse Calliope discovered

Important archaeological discovery in Turkey: a mosaic floor depicting the muse Calliope has been found in the ancient city of Side (near Adalia). The discovery was made during the restoration of the monumental fountain in Side, the most important port city in Pamphylia, where archaeological excavations began in 1947 and have never stopped: they have unearthed areas such as the agora, port customs, sacred complexes, and residences. The mosaics are estimated to date back to the second century B.C.

“This year we are carrying out excavation and restoration work in 15 different parts of the city,” Side’s excavation manager, Professor Feristah Alanyali of Anatolia University, told AA Turkish Agency. “In addition, plans are being prepared for the restoration of the theater area. The restoration of the Temple of Athena will be completed this year.” The mosaic was discovered just as activities in the monumental fountain area continued apace earlier this year.

“During the excavations we started as a basis for the restoration work,” Alanyali continued, “we first unearthed the fountain aqueducts. Now, just in front of the aqueducts, we have unearthed a very large structure, probably built in the second century B.C., with a mosaic floor. Early surveys indicate that this site may have been built in the Hellenistic period. The structures we discovered behind the monumental fountain are of great importance to Side’s urban history. We imagine that these areas are special places because there are frescoes on the walls and elaborate mosaics on the floors there.”

The mosaic, as mentioned, depicts Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. It is too early, however, to know the reasons for this depiction: it is estimated that more information will come from the continuing excavations, not least because, according to Turkish archaeologists, this discovery represents “a great surprise.”

Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, said, "This moment has excited us all. We continue our work to unearth and protect our cultural and historical heritage with the most comprehensive and ambitious project in Turkish archaeology, Geleceğe Miras (Heritage for the Future)."

Turkey, mosaic depicting the muse Calliope discovered

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