The Amasya Museum is showcasing a 1,700-year-old apple tree mosaic, which is distinguished as the only ancient mosaic depicting the famous Amasya apple tree. According to Celal Özdemir, the director of the Amasya Museum, "This is the only mosaic in the world featuring the Amasya apple tree."
In 2013, during a rescue excavation near the village of Yavru, close to the city center, archaeologists uncovered a Roman-era temple and a 20-square-meter (215.28-square-foot) mosaic featuring a 1.5-meter-diameter (4.92-foot-diameter) apple tree figure. This discovery sparked significant excitement in the city. The mosaic, which has been on display at the Amasya Museum for the past four years following its technical restoration, is now considered one of the museum's most prestigious exhibits.
The mosaic is composed of millions of colored stone pieces, with one side representing the red and the other the green of the Amasya apple, which is a registered geographical indication. This artistic representation is seen as evidence that the Amasya apple was a preferred fruit for its taste even in ancient times.
Director Özdemir highlighted the significance of the mosaic: "When we think of Amasya, the first thing that comes to mind is the Amasya apple. The central medallion features an apple tree, four apples and three partridges. This is the only Roman-era mosaic depicting the Amasya apple in the world. We were thrilled when we first excavated it, as it confirmed that the Amasya apple was both delicious and popular 2,000 years ago. We proudly share this with our museum visitors."
