8 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Two rock chambers thought to be dining rooms unearthed at ‘House of Muses’ in southeastern Turkey

House of Muses, a Roman-era house named after the muse mosaics found in the area located in the ancient city of Zeugma in southeastern Turkey’s Gaziantep province, two rock chambers have been unearthed.

Professor Kutalmış Görkay pointed out that the Kaya rooms were used as dining rooms and that the mosaics unearthed from the house carried traces of intellectual life.

Since 2007, excavations have been taking place in the ancient city of Nizip, near the Euphrates River, which has uncovered the famed “Gipsy Girl” mosaic. Nine fairies are shown on the mosaics unearthed in the old home and are said to have inspired writers, poets, singers, historians, and philosophers of the time.

Professor Kutalmış Görkay, the head of the excavations, said that the rock chambers would be opened to visitors after the completion of the works.

Two rock-hewn chamber believed to be Roman-era dining rooms were discovered at the famed 'House of the Muses' in Turkey
Two rock-hewn chambers believed to be Roman-era dining rooms were discovered at the famed ‘House of the Muses’ in Turkey. Photo: Ankara University Kutalmış Görkay

Gürkay,  stated that the rock chambers were found after the excavation of 16 meters of earth fill in the House of Muses, adding, “We excavated 16 meters of earth fill above the rock chambers that we identified and shifted the work in this direction. After taking this weight on it, we started excavating inside the rock chambers. Work is still continuing in this chamber, where the earth inside was emptied. We will provide the protection and reinforcement of these chambers. In particular, there are risky cracks on the ceilings in the chamber. We will complete the excavations in the other rock chamber this year, too. Later, we plan to open these areas to visitors by taking protective measures and ensuring room security with injections or steel structures,” told Hurriyet Daily News.

With its rich architectural ornamentation, well-preserved mosaics, and paintings, the house is also one of the most notable instances of Roman-era dwelling constructions.

house of Muses
An incredibly well-preserved mosaic depicting the nine goddesses that inspire mankind (above) earned the home the name ‘House of Muses’

Zeugma had 80,000 inhabitants,  but the home belonged to a family with a ‘better than the middle-class economy,’ according to Görkay, with several courtyards where dinner parties would have been hosted and basins to collect rainwater.

Zeugma is home to Roman homes that are thought to have belonged to aristocrats in the 2nd and 3rd centuries B.C. The majority were decorated with magnificent mosaics, which are now on exhibit in the mosaic museum.

Zeugma, which is strategically positioned near both the Taurus Mountains and the Euphrates River, was built by the Greeks in 300 BC as Seleukia-on-the-Euphrates.

The Romans captured it in 64 BC and called it Zeugma, from the Greek word for the ‘bridge of boats’ that crossed the Euphrates there.

Related Articles

Evidence of Medieval Plague Victims Buried With “Significant Care” Found

23 June 2021

23 June 2021

The Black Death, which killed between 40 and 60% of Europe’s population in the mid-14th century, was a devastating epidemic...

An unknown church with a special floor plan discovered in Erwitte, northwestern Germany

18 September 2023

18 September 2023

Archaeologists from the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association (LWL) have discovered the remains of a former church from the 10th century near...

The 6,000-year-old settlement found in island of Corsica

2 May 2023

2 May 2023

Archaeologists in a French municipality recently excavated the slopes of Punta Campana (island of Corsica) in preparation for a construction...

In the Mediterranean Oldest Hand-Sewn Boat is Preparing for its Next Journey

25 January 2024

25 January 2024

The oldest hand-sewn boat in the Mediterranean was discovered in the Bay of Zambratija near Umag on Croatia’s Istrian peninsula....

700 Years After Dante’s Death, His Handwritten Notes Are Discovered

11 July 2021

11 July 2021

Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet, and scholar are best known for his masterwork La Commedia (also known as The Divine...

Altar site for Greek goddess Demeter unearthed in Turkey’s ancient city of Blaundus

21 December 2021

21 December 2021

An altar site for the Greek goddess Demeter was unearthed during the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Blaundus,...

A Female Elite Tomb in a Yellow Silk Cloak from the Pre-Mongolian Period Discovered in Mongolia

13 August 2024

13 August 2024

A recent archaeological excavation in Mongolia’s Dornod Province revealed an elite tomb embedded in the walls of an abandoned fortress...

Ancient rubbish dump under Hatshepsut temple reveals hundreds of artifacts

24 November 2021

24 November 2021

Polish archaeologists uncovered a 3,500-year-old dump while working on the reconstruction of the Hathor Goddess Chapel, which is part of...

Earliest Modern Human Genome Identified

7 April 2021

7 April 2021

The fossilized skull of a woman in the Czech Republic provided the oldest modern human genome to date, which has...

Study Reveals Córdoba’s Advanced Sanitation System: A Medieval Model Unmatched in Europe for Centuries

25 April 2025

25 April 2025

Recent research has unveiled the impressive sanitation systems of medieval Córdoba, revealing that the city’s infrastructure was so advanced that...

Archaeologists Found 1,600-year-old Burials of Noble Women and Gold Jewelry in the Mountains of Crimea

4 December 2024

4 December 2024

Archaeologists found burials of noble women filled with gold and silver jewelry in the Crimean mountains in the Bakhchisaray region...

An ancient bronze hand may be the oldest and longest example of Vasconic script

20 February 2024

20 February 2024

Researchers have discovered rare evidence of an enigmatic ancient language on a 2,000-year-old bronze hand. The inscription on the hand...

Ritual Sacrifice of Pregnant Woman: Ecuador may Reflect the Community’s Fear of Her Power

28 January 2025

28 January 2025

In a remarkable archaeological find in Ecuador, researchers have uncovered the rich burial of a pregnant woman and her fetus,...

1700-year-old Roman shoes and craft district found in France

3 June 2023

3 June 2023

An ancient Roman craft district was discovered by archaeologists working in the southwest of the town of Therouanne near a...

5,000-Year-Old “Küllüoba Bread” Discovered in Türkiye Reveals Ancient Baking and Fertility Rituals

30 May 2025

30 May 2025

5,000-year-old bread found in Küllüoba Höyük, Turkey reveals ancient baking methods and fertility rituals. Unique archaeological discovery with rich nutritional...