Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced Monday that another missing fragment of the famed “Gypsy Girl” mosaic from ancient Zeugma in Gaziantep has been returned from the United States, marking the 13th recovered panel from the artwork’s larger composition.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the fragment was repatriated following scientific analysis and diplomatic efforts. The piece matches stylistically and compositionally with other sections housed at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, southeastern Türkiye, officials said.
Ersoy said the return reflects continued efforts to recover cultural heritage items taken out of the country. He thanked the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums and Museums, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Turkish Consulate General in Chicago, international researchers and Turkish Cargo for their roles in the process.
The mosaic fragment belongs to the famous “Gypsy Girl” composition, one of the most recognizable works from the ancient city of Zeugma. The mosaic was uncovered during salvage excavations in 1998 in Gaziantep. The full floor mosaic originally measured approximately 9.25 by 13.5 meters.
The “Gypsy Girl” image, widely believed to depict a Maenad associated with the Dionysian tradition, has become a symbol of the region and is among the most visited exhibits in Gaziantep.
