Smyrna mosaics reveal Late Antiquity beliefs

İZMİR

Geometric and floral motifs decorating a 1,500-year-old mosaic uncovered in the ancient city of Smyrna are shedding light on the beliefs and symbolic world of people living during Late Antiquity, according to archaeologists working at the site.

Excavations carried out under the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s Heritage for the Future Project are continuing in the structure known as the “Mosaic Room,” which was discovered last year on the Agora’s North Street.

The approximately 5-by-2.5-meter mosaic floor, uncovered during infrastructure works at the ancient city, features interlocking 12-sided panels decorated with geometric designs, including triangles and squares, alongside floral motifs such as heart-shaped ivy leaves.

Professor Akın Ersoy, head of the excavation and a faculty member in the Department of Turkish and Islamic Archaeology at İzmir Katip Çelebi University, said excavation efforts are currently focused on the Smyrna Theater and Agora.

Ersoy said part of the mosaic was uncovered last year, while this year’s work has revealed the entire room as well as an adjoining section.

Dating the mosaic to between the fourth and sixth centuries A.D., Ersoy said archaeologists also identified traces of walls surrounding the space. He added that evidence suggests an Ottoman-era structure was built over the mosaic in the 19th century with minimal damage to the ancient floor.

Ersoy said the motifs served not only decorative purposes but also carried symbolic meanings, highlighting the heart-shaped ivy leaf as one of the most remarkable elements.

He noted that the association of the heart symbol with romantic love emerged much later, particularly during the Renaissance.

“The heart as a symbol of love was not clearly understood in earlier periods. It was during the Renaissance that we began to see the heart depicted in paintings as a symbol of love,” he said.

According to Ersoy, the ivy leaf had symbolized loyalty since Antiquity because of the way the plant clings to trees and walls.

He added that the “Solomon’s knot” motif represented wisdom and protection, while the laurel leaf symbolized holiness. The four-leaf clover motif, meanwhile, was associated with faith, love and abundance.

“People have attributed different meanings to floral motifs and geometric forms over the centuries, most often associating them with religion, protection and the warding off of the evil eye,” Ersoy said.

He noted that İzmir was a major center of art, philosophy and urban life during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, making the discovery of mosaics unsurprising. However, he described the discovery of a previously unknown mosaic pavement in the city center as particularly significant.

Archaeologists also found evidence that the site was reused during the 19th century. Ersoy said the Ottoman-era structure was built while preserving the ancient mosaic to a remarkable degree.

“We can say that people of the period consciously protected it because there is very little damage. We found sacks, pots and earthenware dating to the Late Ottoman and Early Republican periods. The space came back to life 1,500 years later,” he said.