Türkiye's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has said archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Pompeiopolis in the Taşköprü district of Kastamonu have uncovered about 105 square meters (1,130 square feet) of well-preserved floor mosaics dating to the fourth century A.D., along with a head of Eros believed to date to the second half of the second century.
Ersoy made the announcement in a social media post on Tuesday about ongoing excavation, documentation and conservation work at the ancient site in the Black Sea region.
He said new traces spanning the Roman Imperial period through Late Antiquity were being uncovered at Pompeiopolis, highlighting discoveries made in the central nave of the site's basilica.
"We have uncovered approximately 105 square meters of very well-preserved floor mosaics dating to the fourth century A.D. and featuring geometric compositions," Ersoy said. "Moreover, the entire mosaic floor in the central nave has not yet been uncovered. Our excavations continue."
He also announced the discovery of an Eros head dating to the second half of the second century A.D. as one of the notable finds from the 2026 excavation season.
Ersoy said the basilica's earliest construction phase is also believed to date to the second half of the second century. Ongoing excavation, documentation and conservation work is helping researchers build a more comprehensive picture of Pompeiopolis' urban and religious history, he said.
According to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, excavations at the basilica began for the first time in 2025 and have continued this year. Pompeiopolis was one of the major centers of the Paphlagonia region during the Roman Imperial period and served as a provincial capital.
Researchers believe the basilica's initial construction phase dates to around A.D. 150-160, based on its architectural characteristics, stratigraphic evidence and artifacts recovered during excavations.
The building subsequently underwent significant architectural and functional changes.
The Eros head discovered in the basilica's pastophorion, a room associated with the building's religious functions, is also dated to the second half of the second century A.D. The find offers new insights into the artistic and cultural environment of Pompeiopolis during the Roman Imperial period.
Pompeiopolis became an episcopal center in the fifth century A.D., underscoring its religious and administrative importance during Late Antiquity.
Architectural alterations, decorative elements and floor mosaics found in the basilica indicate that its later phase was connected to the Christianization of the city and its emergence as an episcopal center.
Conservation work on the mosaics uncovered during the 2026 excavations has been completed, with measures taken to preserve their current condition. However, archaeologists have yet to expose the entire mosaic floor in the central nave, and excavations are continuing to uncover the remaining sections.
The ongoing work at the Pompeiopolis Basilica is providing a more detailed understanding of the building's architectural and functional transformation from the Roman Imperial period through Late Antiquity.
Evidence from the basilica's earliest construction phase, the Eros head, Late Antique architectural elements and floor mosaics is helping researchers better understand the building's role in the urban and religious history of Pompeiopolis.
Excavation and conservation teams aim to further reveal the basilica's architectural layout and different phases of use, while documenting and preserving the remainder of its mosaic floors.
