Rare river god mosaic uncovered at Aspendos
Excavations at the ancient city of Aspendos in southern Türkiye have revealed a rare mosaic portraying a river deity, an uncommon motif in ancient mosaic art.
The mosaic, discovered in the Eastern Square of Theater Street, which links the Aspendos Acropolis with the city’s famed theater, dates to the third century A.D. and depicts the “Young Eurymedon,” a symbolic representation of the Eurymedon River that sustained the ancient settlement.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described the find as a major scientific discovery, saying it sheds new light on Roman-period mosaic art in Anatolia.
“At the center of the mosaic uncovered on Theatre Street is the depiction of the ‘Young Eurymedon,’ symbolizing the river that gave life to the city,” Ersoy said in a statement. He noted that the work stands out for both its iconographic features and the quality of its craftsmanship.
