World’s oldest mosaic uncovered in Turkey

The collection of coloured stones is thought to be more than 3,500 years old

World's oldest mosaic unearthed in Turkey

World's oldest mosaic unearthed in Turkey
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Archaeologists have excavated what they say is the world’s oldest mosaic in Yozgat, Turkey.

The paved floor made of irregular coloured stones was unearthed in the country's central region during fieldwork, in an area believed to have been a Bronze Age Hittite city.

The mosaic, thought to be more than 3,500 years old, measures 3 by 7 metres and comprises 3,147 stones.

Surface surveys have been conducted at the Usakli Mound where the mosaic was found since 2012.

Huseyin Ciftci, the provincial culture and tourism director for Yozgat, said the area is being explored by Turkey's General Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Museums, Bozok University, and Italy’s Pisa University.

The site is near the ancient site of Iconium, which was once the Greek city of Ikonion – a Unesco World Heritage site.

The region was once inhabited by the Hittites, Phrygians, Persians, Hellenes and Romans.

Updated: September 16, 2021, 9:12 AM