Archaeologists in the ancient city of Pergamon, now modern-day Bergama in Turkey, discovered a grand residential complex from the Roman period, with multiple mosaics. The complex was found near the Red Courtyard, also known as the Temple of Egyptian Gods.
The mosaic floors are "the most striking features” of the complex, noted Professor Dr. Yusuf Sezgin, the excavation director. The mosaics date back to the 3rd and 4th centuries CE. They include geometric and plant motifs.
"We noticed a tombstone was used in the pool of the Mosaic House's courtyard," Sezgin mentioned. The tombstone depicts a scene: "On the tombstone, there is an inscription that says 'the sweetest child in the world.' A child figure is depicted, having gone out to hunt rabbits with his dog."
"This stone is understood to have been made by the mother,” he noted.
A tile found in the excavation bears the inscription "Bazilike," meaning "belonging to the king" in ancient Greek. This discovery suggests the building may have been associated with royalty during the Hellenistic period when Pergamon served as a royal capital. "It is known that such seals were used in buildings specially constructed for the royal family on the Bergama Acropolis," Sezgin remarked, according to En Son Haber.
He emphasized the uniqueness of this find: "This is the first complete roof tile with such an inscription, which had been found in fragments before."
"Many artifacts used in daily life, such as kitchenware, weapons, jewelry, and coins from the Roman and Byzantine periods, have come to light in the excavations," Sezgin reported, as per Sozcu.
The team also identified a Byzantine-era cemetery in the vicinity. "In some graves, we encountered multiple burials, which shows that living conditions were not very good in that period," Sezgin noted.
Evidence suggests that the Mosaic House was abandoned following a catastrophic event. "We think it was abandoned during the Arab raids in the 7th century due to a great fire. Roof tiles and burnt vessels show that this destruction was due to a fire," Sezgin said, according to Akşam.
"It must have continued to be used in the Christian period because the conversion of the nearby Red Courtyard into a church shows that a Christian community lived in the area," Sezgin said, as reported by Hürriyet.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.