Persian art

The glass was taken from Roman and Byzantine mosaics that were salvaged and then melted at low temperatures

Excavations that have been ongoing in the Central Anatolian province of Yozgat have unearthed a 3,500-year-old mosaic, believed to be the oldest in the world.

New mosaics belonging to the Byzantine period have come to light during the excavations in the 2,300-year-old complex buildings in Balatlar in the northern province of Sinop.

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A 1,500-year-old golden medallion depicting a figure of Jesus Christ has been displayed at a museum in Turkey's northern province of Çorum.

The medallion was found by treasure hunters in illegal excavations in 2017 and was seized by a successful anti-smuggling operation of the security teams.

A monastery, built during the Roman period, and a 1,500-year-old mosaic have been unearthed during an illegal excavation carried out in the western province of İzmir's Aliağa district.

Restoration and excavation work has resumed at the Saint Simon Monastery in southern Turkey after a pause of 60 years, and the site will host tourists once it is completed.

The monastery, located in Hatay province, is believed to have been built in the 6th century by Saint Simon.

Retired Mehmet Keleş, who has been working voluntarily in the excavations of the Holy Apostles Church that he found in his garden in the eastern province of Hatay's Arsuz district, is happy to contribute his bit for bringing the cultural heritage to light.

After nine years of hard archaeological work, visitors to southern Turkey will soon be able to see a huge intact mosaic some 1,300 years old with their own eyes.       

The mosaics in the ancient city of Xanthos in the southern province of Antalya's Kaş district, are now unprotected. The magnificent mosaics had a water-resistant geotextile barrier during the time of the former president of excavations. But as the barrier eroded, the mosaics are now exposed to the elements of nature.

From cats and dogs to singing insects and drunken parrots, the ancient Greeks and Romans shared a deep and intimate connection with the animal kingdom.