1,500-Year-Old Mosaic Unearthed Beneath a Historic Mill in Midyat May Reveal Early Byzantine Administrator’s Residence

A 1,500-year-old mosaic floor discovered beneath a historic mill in southeastern Türkiye’s Midyat district may have once belonged to an early Byzantine official named Tittos Domestikos.
The find marks the first mosaic ever uncovered along the Midyat–Nusaybin corridor, a region better known for its ancient fortresses and caravanserais.

The discovery was made in Sivrice (Beyazsu area), within the Çağ Çağ Valley — a zone rich in archaeological heritage. During cleaning and restoration work at a privately owned, long-abandoned watermill, workers noticed colored stones embedded in the floor and reported the find to the Mardin Museum Directorate.

From Watermill to Administrative Complex

A rescue excavation led by Idris Akgül, Director of the Mardin Museum, revealed sections of an elaborate mosaic floor decorated with geometric and knot motifs, including wave, cross, and infinity patterns.

“The inscription ‘Tittos Domestikos’ is particularly intriguing,” said Akgül. “Tittos appears to be a personal name, while Domestikos is known in Byzantine sources as a military or clerical title. This suggests the building may have belonged to a local administrator or official.”

The mosaics — covering roughly 40 square meters — feature square, circular, and triangular panels arranged in symmetrical medallions. Archaeologists believe the remains may extend into neighboring plots, hinting at a larger, possibly multi-room complex.

A First for the Midyat–Nusaybin Region

Until now, no Byzantine mosaic had been documented in the Midyat–Nusaybin corridor. The find therefore provides crucial new evidence of the area’s late antique administrative and settlement patterns.
Conservation work will follow, and the property owners have proposed opening the site to visitors once preservation efforts are complete.

A Chance Discovery Turned Cultural Milestone

Property owner Reşit Coşkun said he initially aimed to restore the 19th-century mill for tourism but soon realized its true depth:

“We expected a 100- or 150-year-old structure, but the ground revealed something far older — nearly 1,500 years. Such heritage deserves to be protected and shared with the public.”

Archaeologists say the inscription Tittos Domestikos may offer rare insight into the network of local administrators in early Byzantine northern Mesopotamia, reshaping how scholars understand governance in this frontier zone.