Authorities in southeastern Turkey have seized two rare Roman-era mosaics bearing a Greek inscription during a cultural heritage protection operation in Gaziantep’s Nurdağı district.
Gendarmerie officers detained three suspects, identified only by their initials E.Ç., M.B., and M.B., on charges of attempting to sell the artifacts through illegal channels.
Acting on intelligence, officers stopped a vehicle belonging to E.Ç. and discovered the mosaics hidden inside. The artifacts were delivered to the Gaziantep Museum Directorate for protection. Officials described them as invaluable pieces of cultural heritage. The suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues.
Gaziantep’te tarihi eser niteliğinde iki mozaik ele geçirildi#kültürsanat https://t.co/CITeNgIuiA pic.twitter.com/lpcMBMClqR
— Patronlar Dünyası (@patronlar) August 31, 2025
Mosaics show a sea goddess and Greek inscriptions
Preliminary assessments indicate the mosaics date to the Roman era. One rectangular panel depicts a crowned female figure, believed to be a Greek sea goddess such as Thetis. She is surrounded by attendants resembling Tritons or Nereids, mythological beings tied to the sea.
Above the scene are fragments of Greek letters, which experts say may identify the goddess. The inscription also reflects the enduring influence of Greek language and culture in Anatolia, where Hellenistic traditions remained strong long after Rome’s arrival.
A maritime mythological tableau
The second mosaic, circular in form, shows nude figures and sea creatures arranged in an oval design. Scholars believe the imagery illustrates allegorical or mythological themes common in Roman art. Viewed together, the mosaics form a maritime tableau, with the crowned goddess at the center accompanied by marine attendants.
Gaziantep’te yasa dışı yollarla tarihi mozaik eser satmaya çalışan 3 şüpheli jandarma ekiplerinin yaptığı operasyonla yakalandı. pic.twitter.com/kGmBWyOUdd
— A Haber (@ahaber) August 31, 2025
Researchers note that the choice of figures — Nereids, Tritons, and a possible sea goddess — draws directly from Greek mythology, underscoring how Roman artists often borrowed from Hellenic models.
Gaziantep’s Hellenistic and Roman heritage
The seizure reinforces Gaziantep’s role as a center of mosaic preservation. The city, once the ancient settlement of Zeugma, was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great’s generals. This Hellenistic legacy explains why Greek artistic traditions are so deeply embedded in the region’s Roman mosaics.
Today, Gaziantep is home to the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the world’s largest, with thousands of square meters of mosaics from the Roman and Late Antique periods. Its most famous work is the “Gypsy Girl” mosaic, crafted in the 2nd or 3rd century AD.
Smuggled fragments of the piece were returned from the United States in 2018, and both the mosaic and the museum survived the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake unharmed.
