Turkish province Hatay’s mosaics on display abroad

Some 200 mosaics unearthed in the southern province of Hatay during archaeological excavations conducted by a commission set up before 1939, the year when the city joined the Turkish Republic, are exhibited abroad, as the artifacts found were shared among the commission members, says Hatice Pamir from Mustafa Kemal University's Archaeology Department.

Known as the third-largest city of the Roman Empire in terms of population and founded by Seleucus Nikator, one of the commanders of Alexander the Great in the early 300s B.C., Hatay has hosted many civilizations throughout history. Hundreds of artifacts unearthed during excavations in the city, which has the world's largest mosaic museum in terms of the exhibition area, are displayed in different museums abroad.

Pamir, who is also the head of Antakya excavations, stated that the first archaeological excavations began on March 3, 1932, when Hatay and its environs were under the French mandate.

"The Princeton University Department of Art and Archaeology applied to the French and Syrian High Commission in 1930 to start excavations in Hatay and its surroundings and got permission to conduct excavations for six years. Negotiations were held in 1931 to provide financial support for the excavations, and the Antakya Excavations Commission was established in 1931. The Worcester Museum of Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the National Museums of France and Princeton University participated in this committee financially. The team, which initially consisted of American archaeologists and researchers, was later joined by a member of the French Institute of Damascus, representing the National Museums of France, and the excavations continued until 1939," Pamir said.

"During the excavations carried out...