Archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Olympus, located in the Kumluca district of Antalya, have revealed new mosaic areas on the floor of a church and an inscription in front of the church entrance.
Excavations at Olympus – an ancient city that contains remnants from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods – began in 2006 and have been conducted year-round without interruption for the past four years.
To date, several significant structures have been uncovered in Olympus, including Churches No. 1 and 3, the entrance complex, the Episcopal Palace, a bridge, the Lycian ruler Marcus Aurelius Arkhepolis Mausoleum, a mosaic-decorated building, the Antimachos Sarcophagus and monumental harbor tombs. Excavation efforts continue to bring the city’s historical fabric to light.
During last year’s fieldwork, new mosaic areas were found on the floor of Church No. 1, along with a mosaic inscription at the church entrance.
Associate professor Gökçen Kurtuluş Öztaşkın, head of the excavation team and a faculty member at Pamukkale University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that thanks to increasing support and funding from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the excavation team has been able to carry out uninterrupted research for 12 months each year.
“In 2024, as in previous years, we uncovered a new mosaic area and an inscription at Olympus,” Öztaşkın stated. “Olympus continues to surprise us with its rich mosaic heritage. In 2017 and again in 2022 and 2023, we encountered elaborately decorated mosaic floors in various areas. This year, we uncovered and revealed the mosaic flooring of Church No. 1.”
According to Öztaşkın, the mosaics feature geometric and botanical motifs, as well as inscriptions. One notable inscription is located directly in front of the church entrance and reads: “Only those on the righteous path may enter here.”
“This mosaic inscription is strategically placed at the very entrance of the church,” she added. “Additionally, mosaics bearing the names of the church’s benefactors have been uncovered. These findings further confirm that Olympus was a city rich in mosaic floor decorations, especially within the Lycian region.”
Öztaşkın noted that a necropolis and cemetery area from the Roman period was converted into a civilian settlement during the Byzantine era due to population growth. Excavations in these areas continue to trace this transformation.
The building in question was constructed in the fifth century A.D. but was later destroyed by fire in the sixth century. However, it was rebuilt on the same plan and reused for the same purpose. Öztaşkın described it as a multiroomed civilian residence with stone-paved floors, where current excavations are ongoing.
She also revealed plans for future work: “In our 2025 excavation program, we aim to investigate a new structure believed to be a temple. At the end of last year, we identified facades made of bossed ashlar stone blocks in this area. Based on the building’s plan and construction technique, it likely served as a temple. We plan to begin excavations there in the coming days.”
This year, the excavation team will continue work on monumental structures such as the western necropolis, a temple located in the city center, the Episcopal Palace and Church No. 3. The team plans to complete work in the northern part of the city over the next two years and then shift focus to the southern section.
Additionally, during their work in the civilian settlement area this year, the team discovered a pithos – a large storage jar. Artifacts unearthed from Olympus are currently being exhibited at the Antalya Museum.
