During excavations in the ancient city of Germanicia in Turkey's southeastern province of Kahramanmaraş, a 50 square meter mosaic dating over 1,500 years ago has been found.
The mosaic features three women dancing to music in an open-air feast, most likely a pre-hunt banquet.
This discovery marks the end of the seventh stage of archeological excavations in the ancient city.
The remains of several 1,500-year-old architectural structures, baths, and mosaics were also found.
Some 35 different areas have been discovered so far, with archaeological digs in seven of these areas having been carried out under the guiding hand of the Kahramanmaraş Museum Directorate.
"We had previously found a mosaic consisting of two panels and depicting hunting scenes in Germanicia, in 2015,” the museum's director Safinaz Acıpayam explained.
“The newly discovered mosaic is actually a continuation of the mosaic unearthed in 2015," the director said. "We think it depicts an open-air banquet probably held before the hunt. There are two couples sitting in the middle center of the mosaic. While three women dance in company with music on it, two male figures in the field make presentations. There is also the figure of a little barefoot boy climbing a fig tree," Acıpayam said.
Acıpayam announced that they are planning to open the area to visitation by the end of 2022 and that excavations remain active in the area where the mosaic was found.
The ancient city of Germanicia was initially unearthed as a result of illegal excavations in August 2007, with expropriation work commencing in 2008 and excavation and preservation work following suit in 2009.