In the ancient city of Syedra, located near Antalya’s Alanya district in southern Türkiye, archaeologists have unearthed a remarkably well-preserved mosaic dating back to the fifth century A.D. The discovery, made as part of the “Heritage for the Future Project” led by Associate Professor Ertug Ergurer from Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, is considered one of the most significant archaeological finds in the region in recent years.

Funerary object (an osthothek) on the mosaic discovered in the ancient city of Syedra in Alanya, Antalya, Türkiye, May 6, 2025. (Photo via Syedra Excavations)

Mosaic and ancient cistern discovered

Excavations in residential areas and olive oil workshops between Syedra’s Roman bath complex and its longest street led to the stunning find. Beneath the mosaic-covered floor, a 5-metre-high cistern was discovered in pristine condition. A reused funerary object (an ostothek) from the city’s necropolis was ingeniously repurposed: cut at the base and placed to provide light into the cistern, functioning like a primitive window.

Aerial view of the mosaic discovered in the ancient city of Syedra in Alanya, Antalya, Türkiye, May 6, 2025. (Photo via Syedra Excavations)

A city between civilizations

Syedra is situated around 20 kilometers southeast of Alanya, perched on mountainous terrain overlooking the Mediterranean. The city spans both an upper and lower settlement, playing a strategic role in maritime and land trade routes that historically connected the Pamphylia region in the west with the rugged Cilicia Trachea in the east.

Due to its position at a key coastal juncture, Syedra maintained strong maritime links with ancient civilizations such as Cyprus and Egypt. While evidence of Bronze Age trade has been found in the nearby harbor, significant settlement activity in Syedra is only verifiable from the Hellenistic period onward.

Mosaic discovered in the ancient city of Syedra in Alanya, Antalya, Türkiye, May 6, 2025. (Photo via Syedra Excavations)

Peak during Roman rule

During the reign of Emperor Tiberius, Syedra began minting coins, and its urban life flourished particularly between the second and fourth centuries A.D. Epigraphic findings suggest a population of 4,000–5,000 residents. The city supported Septimius Severus in his imperial conflict in 194 A.D., and later became part of the Byzantine diocese system.

Syedra’s strategic and economic importance is underscored by the luxurious public buildings, tombs, and inscriptions discovered across its colonnaded streets—many believed to commemorate retired Roman soldiers who settled there during the Empire’s eastern military campaigns.

May 07, 2025 04:30 PM GMT+03:00