A man planting cherry saplings on his field in Salkaya village near Elazig, eastern Anatolia, found a huge ancient floor mosaic depicting a dazzling array of local animals and plant life. It dates to the late Roman Imperial period or the early Byzantine period. Mehmet Emin Sualp spotted glimpses of patterns through the planting holes and reported it to the Elazığ Museum Directorate and the gendarmerie. The museum and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism excavated the field and uncovered a single-piece floor mosaic 904 square feet in area. It depicts a whole bestiary of animals, including lions, mountain goats, ducks, greyhounds, deer, pheasants, wild boars, bears, geese and Anatolian leopards. There are also tree and plant species mixed in with the animals. Geometric patterns — triangles, lozenges, kites, concentric square boxes — border the mosaic extending all the way to the walls. Elazig Governor Numan Hatipoglu described it as one of the largest mosaic pieces discovered in the region, showcasing a vibrant representation of local wildlife and flora. […] “This is an incredible find for our region,” stated Governor Hatipoglu. “The vibrant representation of local fauna, including bears, wild boars, and various deer species, vividly reflects the area’s biodiversity during the Roman and Byzantine periods.” He emphasized the significance of this discovery and indicated that further excavations could reveal even more historical artifacts, potentially leading to a strategic development for exhibitions in the future. See overhead drone footage of the entire mosaic in this video:

Remember when COVID was at it’s peak and people were falling down left and right all around us? You know, like that China video? 16/5 The fall that shut down the world. This video of a Wuhan man “falling…

WASHINGTON —  Fall means it's time for just about everybody to get up to date on their flu and COVID-19 vaccines – and a lot of older adults also need protection against another risky winter…

Kick back, relax, and dive into our top stories of the week … Polls Are Becoming the New Word Salads “There’s a new poll out today.” Those words used to capture the attention of those who like…

The growing nuclear belligerence from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia should be a major concern of Americans and their allies. The PRC’s test of either an Intercontinental Ballistic…

As I sit down to write this, the good news that Israel eliminated Hassan Khalil Yassin, who just hours ago replaced Hassan Nasrallah as the leader of the Iranian-funded terror organization Hezbollah,…

To maintain his grip on power, Putin needs to win the war in Ukraine, which means taking control of the five Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia. But that appears to be a difficult, if not insurmountable,…

new york —  U.S. suicides last year remained at about the highest level in the nation's history, preliminary data suggests. A little more than 49,300 suicide deaths were reported in 2023, according…

More of a journalist than a musician. The post Which wars are PJ Harvey’s album ‘Let England Shake’ about? first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Last week, it was announced that Ireland was scrapping its proposed draconian hate speech laws. The Hatred and Hate Offences Bill, initially overwhelmingly supported by major political parties in Ireland, was ultimately […]