Archeologist Demet Kara from the Hatay Archeology Museum believes that the mosaic was part of a dining area decoration in a home built in the ancient Greco-Roman city of Antioch. A team of researchers have studied the beautiful stone work of art and also determined that it would have been in an upper-class household of the time. Being nicknamed the ‘skeleton mosaic,’ there is actually a similar work in Italy, but not as comprehensive as the mosaic just found.
Historically speaking, the city of Antioch was established Seleucus I Nicator, under Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C. Most notably, the city is considered the first place where followers of Christ were first referred to as Christians.
This mosaic marks one of the most extensive works of ceramic artistry ever found to date. It is incredibly well-preserved and will likely offer up much in terms of archaeological significance in determining the culture of the day.
