Narlıkuyu Mosaic Museum

Narlıkuyu Mosaic Museum is located in the village of Narlıkuyu, within the Silifke district of Türkiye’s Mersin province. The museum was constructed to preserve the mosaic floor of a Roman-era bathhouse uncovered during archaeological excavations carried out between 1975 and 1976. Situated approximately 20 kilometers from the center of Silifke, the structure contains both historically significant architectural remains and depictions from Greek mythology. The mosaic is protected within the museum building and provides insight into the artistic sensibilities of its time.

^{Narlıkuyu Mosaic Museum (}Turkish Museums⁾

The Narlıkuyu region served as a transit point for religious and tourist visits throughout the Ancient and Byzantine periods. It functioned as the maritime gateway through which visitors to the Cennet and Cehennem sinkholes reached the Mediterranean Sea. During the Middle Ages this settlement was known as Porto Calamie and is known to have housed an elaborate bathhouse.

In 1975, during excavation work in the area, the remains of a Roman-era bathhouse were discovered beneath a café. The site was expropriated, excavations were completed, and a museum building was constructed to safeguard the mosaic floor. The mosaic was incorporated into the structure and opened to the public between 1975 and 1976.

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The bathhouse was commissioned by a man named Poimenios, who held a high-ranking position during the Eastern Roman Empire. It is known that Poimenios diverted a freshwater spring flowing through the depths of the Cennet Sinkhole to create a small harbor in Narlıkuyu Bay. Poimenios’s name appears on an inscription within the mosaic floor of this structure.

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The mosaic is composed of black, white and yellow stones. The ground features geometric patterns as well as local motifs of birds and flowers. The central scene depicts Aglaia, Thalia and Euphrosine, the three daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, who are recognized in Greek mythology as the Graces. These three figures are referred to in ancient sources as the Kharites, a term derived from the word “kharis,” meaning radiance, elegance and beauty.

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An inscription in Greek is located at the upper part of the mosaic. It reads: “If you ask, friend, who discovered the hidden spring that feeds this beautiful bath, know that it is Poimenios, who governed the sacred islands with integrity and was a friend to the emperors.”

The inscription serves as a documented attribution of the structure’s patronage.

^{Floor Mosaics (}Turkish Museums⁾

Only the bathing area and the water channel have survived to the present day. These sections are exhibited within the museum building. Further excavation efforts are planned to recover additional parts of the bathhouse. The structure open to visitors is under the authority of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism.