1,800-year-old mosaics at Pompeipolis unearthed

In the excavation work carried out in Pompeiopolis, located in the Taşköprü district of Kastamonu, which once served as the capital of Paphlagonia, the 1,800-year-old mosaics of a Roman villa are being saved and brought to light.

Pompeiopolis was one of the largest cities of the Paphlagonia region in terms of the area it covered during the Roman era. The excavations are being carried out under the leadership of Associate Professor Mevlüt Eliüşük, a faculty member of the Department of Archaeology at Karabük University.

This year's work is particularly focused on the villa section, aiming to uncover its mosaics. The Roman villa, covering approximately 1,600 square meters, has suffered severe damage due to a fire and soil shifts caused by water. The mosaic mortar, which has significant deterioration, is being carefully restored to prevent further loss. The ongoing excavations aim to unearth and preserve the mosaic, which was expected to completely disappear within a few years.

Providing information about the work on the mosaics, Eliüşük emphasized that Pompeipolis led the region as its capital in the 2nd century A.D. and said that due to this wealth, remains of structures from the Roman Empire are being discovered in the city.

He explained that the most significant structure in the city is the Roman villa, a massive building covering approximately 1,600 square meters with numerous private rooms. "There are also fountains inside, and connected infrastructure systems. Unfortunately, only the foundation level of the structure remains today," he added.

Eliüşük noted that important finds were uncovered in the villa, and among these, the mosaics stand out.

Eliüşük said that the mosaics will be reinstalled after conservation, adding...