Mosaic of Aydıncık (Turkish: Aydıncık Mozayiği, also called Mosaic of Kelenderis) is a Medieval age floor mosaic in Mersin Province, Turkey.

A detail from the Kelenderis mosaic

Geography

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The mosaic is in the urban fabric of Aydıncık ilçe (district) of Mersin Province at 36°08′36″N 33°19′24″E / 36.14333°N 33.32333°E / 36.14333; 33.32333. It is slightly to the west of the ancient harbor in a place locally known as Hanyıkığı. Its distance to Mersin is 160 kilometres (99 mi).

The mosaic

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The mosaic was unearthed by Professor Levent Zoroğlu of Selçuk University and his team in 1992.[1]

The dimensions of the floor mosaic is 12 x 3.2 square meters (40 x 11 square feet). On the mosaic, the medieval harbor, two vessels and a part of the city were depicted. A part of the mosaic has been decorated with geometric figures. Professor Zoroğlu estimates that the mosaic had been created in the fifth and sixth centuries, i.e., early Byzantine era. [2] There is no human being or a tree. Probably the image displayed on the mosaic was a kind of city guide for the visitors.[3]

In 2005 the mosaic was put under a displaycase.

References

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