Archeologists have uncovered the world's oldest mosaic after excavations in Yozgat's Sorgun district in central Turkey.
The mosaic, which is estimated to be over 3,500 years old, comprises of 3,147 stones and measures 10 by 23 feet. Since 2012, surface surveys have taken place where the mosaic was found, at the Usakli Mound. The area's exploration was conducted by the Bozok University, Pisa University in Italy and the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Museum.
Yozgat's provincial culture and tourism director, Huseyin Ciftci, said:
"It has been determined through scientific studies that the mosaic found is the first of its kind in world history. The mold of the mosaic also supports this as it is quite primitive. We plan to add value to the tourism sector through this discovery."
The head of the excavation team, Anacleto D'agostino, stated that the mosaic is dated back to the 1500s BC.
He said:
"We know there are similar mosaics in Greece, but we think that the mosaic here is older than that there."
The discovery was made just a month following the excavations at the archeological site of Catalhoyuk, where homes were discovered dating back to the Neolithic era.
The site is located near the area Iconium, where the ancient Greek city of Ikonion was once located.
Located in Asia Minor, Catalhoyuk is one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites and is thought to be one of the most ancient areas that was inhabited by humans.
Following its discovery in the 1960s by James Mellaart, a British archeologist, Catalhoyuk's excavation was carried out in 1993 by Ian Hodder, a Professor of archeology at Stanford University.
Over the years, the region has been occupied by Hittites, Phrygians, Persians, Hellenes and Romans.
In the 11th century, Ikonion or Iconium was taken over by the Seljuk Turks and was referred to as the new 'Sultanate of Rum'.
[h/t: Greek Reporter]
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