Historic discovery at Pompeiopolis: 105 square meters of floor mosaics uncovered

Archaeologists working at Pompeiopolis in Kastamonu have uncovered about 105 square meters of remarkably well-preserved floor mosaics in the central nave of the ancient city’s basilica. The geometric designs date to the fourth century A.D., and the excavation team has not yet exposed the entire mosaic floor.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the discovery on social media while describing the excavation, documentation and conservation work under way at the site. He also highlighted another 2026 find: an Eros head dating to the second half of the second century A.D.

The basilica’s first construction phase is believed to date to around A.D. 150 to 160. Researchers reached that assessment by considering the building’s architectural features, stratigraphic evidence and the objects recovered during excavations. The Eros head was found in the basilica’s pastophorion section and offers new information about Pompeiopolis’s artistic and cultural setting during the Roman Imperial period.

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We uncovered approximately 105 square meters of floor mosaics dating to the fourth century A.D., composed of geometric designs and preserved in very good condition.

Pompeiopolis was one of the important centers of the Paphlagonia region and served as a provincial capital during the Roman Imperial period. Excavations at the basilica began in 2025 and have continued this year. The building later underwent major architectural and functional changes, reflected in its layout, decoration and mosaics.

The site gained the status of an episcopal center in the fifth century. The basilica’s later features are therefore linked to Pompeiopolis’s Christianization and its growing religious and administrative importance in Late Antiquity. Ersoy thanked the excavation team and the General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums.

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Let us announce another important find from our 2026 work: an Eros head dating to the second half of the second century A.D.