The excavation team had initially uncovered a mosaic covering approximately 105 square meters in the basilica in September.
The area of a mosaic uncovered in September at the ancient city of Pompeiopolis in the Taşköprü district of Kastamonu has expanded to approximately 120 square meters following further excavation work.
Excavations at Pompeiopolis, once the capital of the ancient Paphlagonia region, began in 2006 at the Zımbıllı Hill site. The work is being conducted on behalf of the Culture and Tourism Ministry under the direction of Associate Professor Mevlüt Eliüşük of Karabük University’s Department of Archaeology.
The excavation team initially uncovered a mosaic covering approximately 105 square meters in the basilica in September. Further work has expanded the exposed area to around 120 square meters. Restoration and conservation work on the mosaics is continuing, while an Eros head was also discovered at the site.
Taşköprü Mayor Hüseyin Arslan said that sculptures, sculpted heads, coins and various archaeological artifacts have been unearthed at the ancient city to date.
Emphasizing the historical significance of the mosaics, Arslan said the municipality planned to accelerate and complete restoration work on the theater next year in coordination with excavation director Eliüşük.
“There are more sections of these mosaics, and we plan to uncover them as well,” Arslan said, adding that excavations would continue in areas containing newly discovered artifacts.
He said the municipality was also working to connect the walking route to the Roman villa and turn the site into an archaeological park as soon as possible.
Arslan cautioned that archaeological excavations and restoration could not be completed according to a fixed timetable, noting that the process required careful work, funding and time to ensure the preservation of the finds.
He added that sponsorship from Akasya Maden had helped make significant progress possible and that increased financial support could accelerate preparations to open the ancient city to visitors.
The excavations are also supported by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Kastamonu Governor’s Office, the Taşköprü District Governor’s Office and the Taşköprü Municipality.
Ahmet Yasin Ekinci, deputy head of the excavation team, said work at the basilica and Roman villa had gained momentum over the past two years.
He said the team identified the foundation walls of the basilica in 2025 and fully revealed the building’s layout during the 2026 excavation season.
According to Ekinci, the structure has two distinct phases dating from the mid-second century A.D. to the fourth century A.D.
“We identified a mosaic-covered area of approximately 120 square meters in the central and eastern naves of the three-aisled basilica. Restoration and conservation work is continuing in these areas,” he said.
Ekinci also confirmed the discovery of an Eros head in the eastern section of the building. He said a temporary roof had been installed to protect the structure and its archaeological remains.
The team aims to uncover further sections of the mosaics during the 2027 excavation season and eventually display the finds to visitors, helping the site gain official archaeological site status and become a tourist attraction.
Ekinci said they also planned to install a permanent roof over the structure and establish visitor walkways in 2027.
A separate project supported by the North Anatolian Development Agency (KUZKA) aims to establish a visitor center at the ancient city. Visitor routes are also planned to connect the theater, odeon and Roman residence.
