Discovery of Metiokhos & Parthenope mosaic, Zeugma, Turkey

The following images are reproduced courtesy of Dr Philip Freeman, of the School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool.

The images were taken during the excavation in 1993 of what has come to be known as the Metiokhos & Parthenope mosaic (see Acar in Culture Without Context for the background to its looting and recovery). Fragments were recovered and are on display in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, and can be viewed via the Zeugmaweb website (scroll down the page to view). For further information about looting of mosaics at Zeugma, also see our Encyclopedia entry.

Excavation in 1993 of the Metiokhos & Parthenope mosaic

Overhead view of the house in which the mosaic was found

Interior of the house in which the mosaic was found, showing the depth of the overburden sealing the building

First exposure of the mosaic

Detail of the mosaic as it was being excavated

Final cleaning of the mosaic

Mosaic cleaned up showing the robbers’ original cut