Turkish gendarmerie units have uncovered a 1,500-year-old Roman-era floor mosaic hidden under concrete in Mardin’s Derik district during an anti-smuggling operation, after suspects allegedly attempted to sell the ancient artifact on the black market.
The mosaic, featuring intricate human and animal figures, was found buried two meters underground and concealed beneath a concrete block in the garden of a suspect identified as F.K., the Mardin Provincial Gendarmerie Command said.
The operation, code-named “Anatolian Heritage,” was conducted by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch along with the Derik District Gendarmerie Command. Investigators determined that the artifact was being prepared for sale to smugglers.
Covering an area of around 60 square meters, the ancient mosaic was carefully removed and delivered to the Mardin Museum Directorate for preservation and further study.
The suspect was detained, and legal proceedings have been launched, the statement added.
Thousands of anti-smuggling operations are carried out across Türkiye every year to halt the illegal sale of historical objects and protect the country's rich cultural heritage. The issue is crucial to a country that is home to about 3,000 ancient cities from 42 civilizations and whose tourism industry relies on its rich historical heritage to attract millions of foreign visitors each year.
