The stunning Mosaics of Zeugma stand as a testament to the unique art that took place in ancient, post-classical Greece.
Zeugma, which is situated in modern-day Turkey, now hosts a museum in which all of the artefacts can be seen in their full glory.
Zeugma itself was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, a general in Alexander the Great's Army, in 305 BC, who named the town originally after himself 'Seleucia'. The town later became an important trading centre and was home to Greeks, Jews and Syrians. In the subsequent centuries, the town fell under the control of the Roman Empire, Persians, Byzantines and Ottomans.
The mosaics lay largely undisturbed until 2000 when a large man-made flood consumed much of the town. Archaeologists then set to work recovering and preserving the ancient artefacts and mosaics, most of which are over 2,100 years old.
While most of the mosaics depict the Greek era, many are also from the time of the Roman Empire. Some even depict Greek and Roman Gods, and mythical deities, together. A highly unusual occurrence, which makes Zeugma of extra-special importance and places the mosaics as items of profound historical and cultural importance.
The area around Zeugma also hosts an ancient Greek agora (marketplace) a stadium, a theatre and ancient city walls. For this reason, it has now been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.
This short documentary extract shows the challenge and skill of the archaeologists as they struggled to save the Mosaics of Zeugma from rising flood waters. It also shows many of the mosaics in their full unfiltered glory.
[h/t: Greek Reporter]
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