Gigantic Roman mosaic discovered under a farmer’s field in Turkey

A giant poolside mosaic featuring intricate geometric patterns has been unearthed in southern Turkey, revealing the far-reaching influence of the Roman Empire at its peak.

A giant poolside mosaic featuring intricate geometric patterns has been unearthed in southern Turkey, revealing the far-reaching influence of the Roman Empire at its peak.

The mosaic, which once decorated the floor of a bath complex, abuts a 25-foot-long (7-meter long) pool, which would have been open to the air, said Michael Hoff, a University of Nebraska, Lincoln art historian and director of the mosaic excavation. The find likely dates to the third or fourth century, Hoff said. The mosaic itself is an astonishing 1,600 square feet (149 square meters) — the size of a modest family home.

"To be honest, I was completely bowled over that the mosaic is that big," Hoff told LiveScience.

The first hint that something stunning lay underground in southern Turkey came in 2002, when Purdue University classics professor Nick Rauh walked through a freshly plowed farmer's field near the ancient city of Antiochia ad Cragum. The plow had churned up bits of mosaic tile, Hoff said. Rauh consulted other archaeologists, including experts at the local museum in Alanya, Turkey. The museum did not have funds to excavate more than a sliver of the mosaic, so archaeologists left the site alone.

Last year, with a new archaeological permit for the site in hand, museum archaeologists invited Hoff and his team to complete the dig.

So far, the researchers have revealed about 40 percent of the mosaic. The floor is in "pristine" condition, Hoff said in a university video about the dig. It would have fronted an open-air marble swimming pool flanked by porticos.

The mosaic itself is composed of large squares, each sporting a unique geometric design on a white background, from starburst patterns to intertwined loops. It's the largest Roman mosaic ever found in southern Turkey, which was thought to be rather peripheral to the Roman Empire, according to Hoff. The existence of the mosaic suggests that Antiochia ad Cragum was far more influenced by the Romans than believed, Hoff said.

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna49064354

The Mongol Destruction of Baghdad

The most devastating Mongol attack in history. After demolishing the Order of Assassins, Hulagu Khan leads an enormous Mongol army against the great city of Baghdad. The Abbasid caliph has angered the Mongols, and his people will suffer for it. Few will survive the wrath of the Khan.

Archaeologists found a coffin in Spain that will change everything known about European history!

In recent news, In a recent discovery that has sent shockwaves through the archaeological community, Gonzales, an archaeologist working in Spain has made a remarkable discovery: a 2,000-year-old coffin containing the remains of a wealthy Roman woman.

The coffin, which was found in the ancient city of Cartagena, is thought to date back to the 1st or 2nd century AD and is decorated with intricate carvings and inscriptions.

The woman's remains, which were well-preserved thanks to the dry climate of the region, showed signs of a high status and luxurious lifestyle. She was adorned with gold and pearl jewellery, and her coffin was made of marble and adorned with intricate carvings and inscriptions.

Watch the entire video for more information!

15 Mysterious Doors That Can Never Be Opened

We’ve all heard stories of haunted castles or pirate’s buried treasures. But what if I told you there are places like that today in real life? Some are hidden and secret, some are protected by military. From a hotel designed to kill its guests, to Pablo Escobar’s post-mortem surprise, here are 15 Mysterious Doors That Can Never Be Opened.

Ancient Mesopotamian Warfare in Sumer and Akkad

Warfare was an essential part of the Akkadian Empire, especially under its conquering founder Sargon, and his grandson the god-king Naram-Sin. Their armies were the source of their power.

But they were not the first kings of Mesopotamia to wage war on their enemies.

The city states of ancient Sumer clashed with one another for centuries before the rise of Akkad.

But what did this early warfare look like? How were the forces raised, and how were they armed and armoured? Who led them, when and how often did they fight?

This is the story of Mesopotamian warfare in ancient Sumer and Akkad.

The Ancient World (Greece, Rome, Middle East, India, China)

The Ancient World goes through the history of the Ancient period until the fall of Rome. It goes over the major events, as well as daily life and culture, making it a well-rounded overview. There is a brief intro about the Paleolithic and Neolithic as well.

Lost Humans - What Happened to our Prehistoric Forebears?

Over the course of the history, humans appeared in many different sizes, body features and characteristics. Some of them were enormous, and some were little. Some of them learned to survive in cold - In this documentary the lives and uniqueness of prehistoric human species will be examined. The lives and survival tips of each unique human, from tiny midgets to tall giants, will be brought back to life through advanced computer graphics, realistic reenactments as well as profound and professional assessments of world-renowned experts in the academia. The viewers will witness the astonishing lives of our most extraordinary ancestors.

In this episode, an amazing fact is unveiled about how big, or how small humans could had been in prehistoric times. From Ardipithecus Ramidus that lived on trees but also walked on land to tiny and mysterious Homo floresiensis that coexisted with modern day humans until 12,000 years ago, humans varied greatly in sizes.

Why You Wouldn't Survive Life in Mongol Russia

At its height in the 13th century, the Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous land empire in history. It stretched from the Sea of Japan all the way into eastern Europe, including most of continental Asia and the Middle East. Genghis Kahn, his sons, grandsons, and trusted generals were rampaging across the continent with a fine-tuned military machine that was as brutal as it was brilliant. By 1223, they had their sights set on Kievan Rus (KEE-van Russ), a loose federation of Eastern European states that hadn’t yet become Russia. Over the next 250 years, death would literally rain down. In the aftermath, the Mongol Empire was dead…and Russia was born.

Today, we’re exploring why you wouldn’t stand a chance in Mongol Russia.

Greek War of Independence 1821-32 - Greek & Ottoman History Documentary

Kings and Generals historical animated documentary series on the early modern history, as well as the history Greece and the Ottoman Empire continues with a feature length video on the Greek War of Independence of 1821-1832, as we see how the modern Greece was born and how it got its independence from the Ottoman Rule. This video will cover political, diplomatic and geopolitical events surrounding the war, as well as the battles of Missolonghi, Alamana, Gravia Inn, Valtetsi, Peta, Dervenakia and Navarino, as well as the aftermath of the war and the formation First Hellenic Republic and the Kingdom of Greece, the London Protocol and the Treaty of Constantinople.

Origins and Identity: The Story of Europe, Part 1

Where and when does the history of Europe begin? The traces lead to ancient Greece, and more precisely to Crete. Here we not only find the first high culture of the continent, but also the founding myth, to which it owes its name: The story of the kidnapping of the Phoenician princess Europa by the Greek god Zeus. Follow narrator Christopher Clark as he recounts the history of the European continent through the centuries in the 6-part documentary series.

Four Great Megacities Of The Ancient World | Metropolis

The series takes us to the very heart of urban life in the Mediterranean area, the hub of the ancient world. The mighty metropolises of antiquity evolved here from a scattering of settlements. And not one city is like the next. Each developed in its own characteristic fashion, each uniquely marked by its geographical location, its cultural environment, and the prevailing historical circumstances.

The Everyday Life of An Ancient Egyptian Revealed

Egyptologist, Dr Joann Fletcher investigates what everyday life was like in ancient Egypt for an ordinary person. Joann explores how the people of Egypt lived by exploring their tombs, touring museums as well as uncovering their beliefs in the afterlife. Enjoy!

The Euphrates River Finally Dried Up But Now Something Has appeared

The Euphrates River is Southwest Asia's largest waterway. Like many other rivers, it is vital to the region's civilizations. For example, the Euphrates has been used to support the growth and development of settlements in the Middle East since around 4000 B.C. The earliest civilizations were Sumer and Mesopotamia, and later Babylon and Assyria.

The Euphrates is one of the region's two major waterways, the other being the Tigris, and both contributed to the rise of the Mesopotamian Empire. Rivers were a vital source of survival and growth in ancient times, and settlements along rivers can be seen throughout history. In addition, rivers provided new settlers with both food and water.

They were later used for farming, trade, and transportation. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers continue to provide water to major cities in the Middle East. But now, this massive river has dried up and revealed some shocking things.

Today we will discuss the Euphrates river and its hidden treasures.

The complex geometry of Islamic design

In Islamic culture, geometric design is everywhere: you can find it in mosques, madrasas, palaces, and private homes. And despite the remarkable complexity of these designs, they can be created with just a compass to draw circles and a ruler to make lines within them. Eric Broug covers the basics of geometric Islamic design.

What Dinosaurs ACTUALLY Looked Like?

The past is a vast and mysterious land that begins at the big bang and ends in the present, expanding with each passing moment. It is the home of everything that came before, the key to understanding our present. Here we find the most amazing creatures to ever roam our planet, hundreds of millions of species so diverse that our imagination cannot do them justice. Unfortunately the past carefully guards its secrets.