Hurriet
Daily News
22 September 2010

The discovery of a mosaic in a backyard in Turkey's
Black Sea region has led to two years of excavations and the recent
revelation that the area housed a third century Roman settlement.
Farmer Nizamettin Oral found a mosaic in 2008 while
working on expanding a greenhouse in his backyard in a village
in Zonguldak. After Oral found the mosaic two-and-a-half years
ago an excavation was launched, leading to the discovery of a
Roman villa that a museum director believes could be part of a
larger Roman settlement, including a shrine.
“The mosaic found in 2008 depicts Thracian
King Lykurgos attacking Ambrossia disguised as a woman, surrounded
by vines representing divine drinks. The work this year found
another room with plastered flooring and partially preserved frescoes
on the walls," said Zonguldak Culture and Tourism Director
Zekai Kasap, according to the Daily Radikal.
"North of this area, a water canal about 30
meters long with a mosaic floor linking to three rooms was found.
The area has depictions of animal figures and hunting scenes.”
Excavations conducted by the Eregli Museum Directorate
over the past two summers found rooms belonging to a settlement.
The rooms with mosaic and figurine flooring are believed to be
part of a villa.
Eregli Museum Director Ahmet Merca, in a statement
to the Anatolia news agency, said the excavations in the garden
area containing the mosaics were complete for this season and
that the work would continue next year.
“We think the recent findings might be part
of a shrine," Mercan said. "We will excavate this area
next year and find out."