Excavations in Olympos, Antalya province, have uncovered mosaic floors and inscriptions within a 5th-century church, part of a year-round project backed by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Olympos, once a vibrant city of the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, has yielded many significant structures during an ongoing study, including churches, a bishop’s palace, and monumental tombs.
The latest phase of work focused on Church No. 1, where archaeologists found a mosaic inscription directly in front of the church’s main entrance. The text on the mosaic reads, “Only those on the right path may enter here,” offering a spiritual directive for early Christian worshippers. Additional mosaics in both the main and side sections of the church feature geometric and botanical designs, along with inscriptions naming patrons who funded the construction.
Associate Professor Gökçen Kurtuluş Öztaşkin, excavation director from Pamukkale University, emphasised the richness of Olympos in mosaic art. Similar discoveries in previous years—2017, 2022, and 2023 highlight the city as one of Lycia’s most mosaic-rich archaeological sites.
Excavations also revealed a fifth-century residential building constructed over a former Roman necropolis. After a fire in the sixth century, the building was rebuilt, preserving much of its original layout.
Going forward, the archaeologists are preparing to excavate what may be a temple in the city centre where they have found architectural elements, such asfinely cut stone walls and bossage masonry, suggesting a monumental religious structure.
Plans for the 2025 excavation season include continued research in the western necropolis, the bishop’s palace, and additional churches. The team expects to complete work in the city’s northern zone within two years before moving to explore its southern areas.
Header Image Credit : Turkiyetoday
Sources : Turkiyetoday
