Mosaicked Structure Belonging to the Hellenistic Period Found at Kültepe Mound

During the ongoing excavation works at the Kayseri Kültepe-Kanesh Mound, a structure with mosaic flooring belonging to the Hellenistic Period and four consecutive cultural layers have been brought to light, marking a first in the 78-year history of excavations.

Important findings were reached in the second season of joint excavations carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums, Ankara University, and the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage of South Korea. The mosaic-floored structure uncovered in the studies headed by Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu was recorded as the first example of its kind in Kültepe's 78-year excavation history.

The four separate Hellenistic cultural layers identified alongside the structure provided new data to understand the changes the ancient settlement underwent during that period. The mosaic, dated to the period between 333 and 31 BC, was measured to be 163 centimeters in the east-west direction and 165 centimeters in the north-south direction. Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy emphasized that the discovery is a valuable result of the scientific and cultural cooperation between Turkey and South Korea.