Halil brahim Sincar/AAThe mosaic was found while workers were cleaning and restoring a disused mill.A 1,500-year-old mosaic was recently discovered beneath the floor of an historic mill in southeastern Turkey. This stunning find is the first mosaic to be uncovered in the countrys MidyatNusaybin corridor.The mill sits on private land in the a a Stream Valley, an area that is no stranger to ancient forts and caravanserais. What began as a project to clean and restore the abandoned mill swiftly turned into an archaeological excavation.After workers uncovered the mosaic under the floor of the old mill, the owners notified the Mardin Museum, which quickly launched an official salvage excavation. This process aims to document and preserve archaeological remains that are discovered during modern construction projects.The Stunning Byzantine Mosaic Found Under An Old Mill In Turkeys Midyat DistrictHalil brahim Sincar/AAArchaeologists have uncovered about 430 square feet of the mosaic so far.According to Trkiye Today, the archaeological team has found about 430 square feet of the patterned tile floor, which spans across two areas inside the historic mill. Archaeologists believe the remains may extend to other nearby parcels of the site, indicating that the mosaic was once part of a larger complex.The mosaic primarily features geometric motifs, including squares, rectangles, circles and triangles. The design is tied together through wave, cross, and infinity patterns in the main panels, which are connected with knot-shaped medallions.The excavation team also uncovered a clue as to who may have owned or commissioned the 1,500-year-old mosaic: In one section, the floor tiles spelled out Tittos Domestikos.Tittos appears to be a personal name, while Domestikos is known in Byzantine sources as a military or clerical title, Idris Akgl, the leader of the excavation, told Anatolian Archaeology. This suggests the building may have belonged to a local administrator or official.Now, the mosaic could help researchers uncover more of the buildings history. It will surely also provide crucial information concerning the history of the region, as it is one of the first archaeological sites to be directly investigated in its immediate area.Planned Future Tourism Of The Mosaic And The Mill In BeyazsuHalil brahim Sincar/AAThe landowners of the mill are hoping to preserve the mosaic and turn the site into a tourist attraction.Archaeologists will know more about the site once conservation of the mosaic is complete and more in-depth study of the remains can commence. From there, the owners of the land on which the mill sits are looking forward to eventually opening the site to the public.Before the mosaic was discovered, the landowners had already begun to clean up the disused mill because they were interested in restoring this 19th-century site for tourism purposes. After workers first uncovered the history sitting right beneath the mills floor, they stopped their efforts immediately in order to prevent any potential damage to this important find.We expected a 100- or 150-year-old structure, but the ground revealed something far older nearly 1,500 years. Such heritage deserves to be protected and shared with the public, property owner Reit Cokun told Anatolian Archaeology.Now, Cokun wants to work with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in order to convert the mill and the 1,500-year-old mosaic beneath it into a tourism site for visitors from far and wide.After reading about the 1,500-year-old mosaic found beneath a mill floor in Turkey, check out the story of a Turkish farmer who stumbled upon a Roman mosaic while planting trees. Then, learn about the 2,700-year-old tomb discovered in Turkey that may belong to a member of King Midas family.The post Byzantine Mosaic Dating Back 1,500 Years Found By Accident Underneath An Abandoned Mill In Turkey appeared first on All That's Interesting.