Archaeologists working at the ancient city of Dara in the Artuklu district of Mardin, southeastern Türkiye, have uncovered a nearly 1,500-year-old mosaic decorated with drop and wave motifs.

The discovery adds to the rich historical heritage of this important ancient site, located about 30 kilometers from Mardin's city center in the Oğuz neighborhood.

Excavations at Dara began 38 years ago and have been ongoing, particularly since the site’s inclusion last year in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s "Heritage for the Future Project.” This project has significantly accelerated efforts to unearth and preserve the area’s archaeological treasures.

To date, archaeologists have uncovered a necropolis (a large burial site), a church, a palace, an agora (marketplace), a prison, an armory and remnants of an ancient water reservoir. Additionally, over 10,000 arrowheads, lamps, glassware, ceramics and jewelry items have been found, shedding light on the city’s historical significance.

Dara was founded by the Eastern Roman Empire as a frontier city to defend against the Sasanian Empire. Excavations, currently led by the Mardin Museum, are focusing on the agora area, where about 20 shops and workshops have been uncovered alongside a sophisticated drinking water system dating back to the Roman period.

This year, the team discovered a mosaic floor decorated with drop and wave motifs in what is believed to have been a residential structure adjacent to the shops and workshops.

Details

Ayhan Gök, the provincial director of culture and tourism, shared details about the mosaic with Anadolu Agency (AA): "We have been conducting excavations at Dara for 39 years. Since its inclusion in the Heritage for the Future Project last year, our efforts have intensified and become more meticulous. The recent mosaic find is particularly exciting. We found it nearly intact, covering about 50 square meters. We can see evidence of restorations carried out in ancient times, suggesting the site’s ongoing importance.”

Gök added: "This is a remarkable discovery, bringing to light a mosaic untouched for 1,500 years. We plan to excavate it in one piece, and it will become a new attraction for visitors. We believe that as the excavations continue, even more significant findings will emerge from this site that holds tremendous historical value.”

Despite harsh weather conditions, the excavation teams have persevered, uncovering features such as the largest necropolis in the region, water cisterns, city walls and the agora – all contributing to Dara’s appeal and tourism potential.

Rich mosaic culture

Devrim Hasan Menteşe, the chief archaeologist leading the Dara excavations, explained that the team has been working in the agora area for about five years. Their recent research focused on understanding the function of the shops in the ancient marketplace.

"We found many clues about what these shops were used for,” Menteşe said. "Most of the shop floors were decorated with mosaics. Although we have found many mosaic fragments before, this is one of the few times we’ve uncovered an almost complete mosaic floor. Dara is known for its rich mosaic culture, especially in the agora and adjacent residential areas.”

The newly discovered mosaic covers a large room and features geometric designs, including wave and diamond-shaped (lozenge) patterns along its borders. Coins found at the site date the mosaic to the reign of Emperor Justinian I, around 525-575, confirming its age at roughly 1,500 years.

According to Menteşe, the artifacts suggest that Dara was not just a military garrison city housing about 25,000 soldiers but also one of Mesopotamia’s most important centers for trade and religion.

"Recent excavations reveal that Dara was a significant commercial hub for the Romans in Mesopotamia,” he said. "Moreover, religious inscriptions discovered indicate that it was also a spiritual destination, possibly a pilgrimage site for worshippers.”