Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Adramytteion in western Turkey have uncovered the remains of an elaborate Roman villa featuring colourful mosaics, frescoes, sophisticated drainage systems and depictions of named household pets.
Archaeologists working at the ancient city of Adramytteion in Balıkesir province have uncovered a remarkably well-preserved Roman-era residence, offering new insights into the wealth, trade connections and domestic life of the settlement nearly 2,000 years ago.
The discovery was made during ongoing excavations in the Ören neighbourhood of Burhaniye district, where archaeological investigations have been underway since 2012.
The excavations are being conducted under the direction of the Balıkesir National Forces Museum Directorate, with permission from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and scientific consultancy from Dr Hüseyin Murat Özgen, head of the Adramytteion Research Team at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.
Researchers have been investigating an area covering approximately 9,000 square metres, where excavations have revealed multiple layers of occupation spanning different periods of the ancient city’s history.
Among the most significant discoveries is an extensive Roman residential complex centred around an atrium and surrounded by three large halls.
Elaborate mosaics reveal life inside the villa
The halls were richly decorated with mosaic floors, frescoed walls and an array of geometric and figurative designs.
One of the most impressive areas is the northern hall, where archaeologists identified 15 mosaic panels depicting birds, fish and a winged horse.
The winged horse is particularly significant because the same motif appeared on coins minted by Adramytteion during the fourth century BC. Its appearance in a Roman residence roughly five centuries later suggests that the symbol remained closely associated with the city’s identity for generations.
The mosaics also provide a more intimate glimpse into the lives of the villa’s inhabitants.
Among the images are representations of a cat and a dog accompanied by inscriptions apparently identifying the animals by name. According to Özgen, the cat’s name translates as “Emerald”, while the dog was called “Okyanos”, or Ocean.
Such details could help archaeologists build a clearer picture of the people who lived in the residence and their social status.
North African connections
Other mosaics depict Medusa and Gorgon figures as well as pygmy figures interacting with birds.
The presence of pygmy imagery is especially intriguing because the motif is associated with the mosaic traditions of North Africa.
Özgen said the imagery could provide clues about the villa’s owner. Adramytteion was a trading city with two harbours and extensive connections across the eastern Mediterranean, raising the possibility that the residence belonged to a wealthy merchant with commercial or cultural links to North Africa.
The decorative programme and artefacts uncovered in the villa’s eastern hall indicate that the residence was in use during the second century AD, although archaeological evidence shows that the building continued to evolve over subsequent centuries.
Following destruction during the Roman period, another hall was constructed to the south of the central area during the fourth or fifth centuries AD. This later addition contains its own geometric and figurative decoration characteristic of the period.
Earlier Hellenistic building discovered beneath villa
Excavations have also uncovered the foundations of a substantial Hellenistic structure on the same plot.
Researchers found that parts of these earlier foundations were reused during the Roman period, providing evidence of long-term continuity in the occupation and development of the site.
The villa itself appears to have been a sophisticated residence equipped with infrastructure that went well beyond elaborate decoration.
Archaeologists documented drainage channels, pipelines and installations serving wet areas within the complex, demonstrating the considerable level of engineering incorporated into the property.
The combination of luxurious mosaics, decorated halls and advanced infrastructure points to a residence belonging to members of Adramytteion’s prosperous elite.
For researchers, however, the significance of the discovery extends beyond the villa itself. The building and its decoration are helping archaeologists reconstruct aspects of everyday life, commercial networks and cultural exchange in the ancient city.
The site’s successive Hellenistic and Roman remains also provide evidence of how Adramytteion developed over centuries while retaining elements of its earlier cultural identity.
Excavations are continuing, with archaeologists hoping that further investigation of the residential quarter will reveal more about the inhabitants of the villa and the ancient city’s connections with the wider Mediterranean world.
Sources : CNNTURK
