Mosaic and Hellenistic layers unearthed in Turkey
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Archaeologists working in Kültepe-Kanesh, Kayseri Province, Turkey, discovered a mosaic floor dating back over 2,000 years, marking the first such find since excavations began in 1948.
The team, a collaboration between the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ankara University, and the National Cultural Heritage Institute of South Korea, uncovered the mosaic during a second phase of excavations that began in 2025. The mosaic, measuring approximately 1.6 meters on each side, was found east of the Warsama Palace.
Fragments around the mosaic suggest it originally covered a larger area, and researchers also identified the construction techniques used to build the floor, which included layers of stone, soil, river pebbles, ceramics, and lime. Alongside the mosaic, the archaeologists revealed four successive Hellenistic period cultural layers (323 to 30 BC). These layers provide new evidence for the development of the settlement during a period that has received limited archaeological attention compared to the Bronze Age.
By comparing findings from each layer, the team aims to create a more detailed timeline of Kültepe during the Hellenistic period. Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced the discovery and highlighted its significance for understanding a lesser-known period of this ancient settlement, which served as an important political and economic center from the third millennium BC through the Roman period.
Kültepe-Kanesh was once the capital of the Kingdom of Kanesh and a key origin point for the Hittite civilization, and is known for its collection of over 23,500 clay tablets with cuneiform writing.
