Large Roman mosaic unearthed in Antalya

A mosaic on a grand scale dating back to Roman times has been unearthed in Turkey's southern province of Antalya by a team of archeologists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Turkey's Ataturk University, the website Live Science announced on Monday. The mosaic, which once decorated a bathing complex, was excavated in Antiochia ad Cragum, an ancient town in Antalya's Alanya district. Unique geometrical designs including intertwining loops appear against the white background of the mosaic.Michael Hoff, the art historian leading the dig, noted that he was astonished by the size of the mosaic, which is the largest discovered in southern Turkey.The existence of the mosaic suggests that Antiochia ad Cragum, founded in the first century, was under the influence of the Romans. The mosaic would have been located near a luxurious pool seven meters in length within the bathing complex and covers a 149-square-meter area.