Stunning Roman-era mosaic discovered in Turkey features 'Emerald' the cat and 'Ocean' the dog
A cat named Emerald and a dog named Ocean were memorialized in a Roman mosaic over 1,800 years ago.
A stunning Roman-era mosaic has been discovered in Turkey, featuring a cat named Emerald and a dog named Ocean. The mosaic was found in a villa dating back to the late second to third centuries A.D., which was unearthed beneath the ancient city of Adramytteion on Turkey's Aegean coast. The mosaic, measuring about 16.4 by 11.8 feet (5 by 3.6 meters), is centered around what appears to be a depiction of Medusa, with 15 separate panels illustrating living and mythological creatures.
The cat and dog named in the mosaic likely preserve the memory of household pets. The villa, which served as a prime trading spot in Roman times, also included three mosaic-paved halls, secondary rooms, and a network of pipes and drains potentially connected to a latrine.
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