Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a Roman-era mosaic featuring a cat named Emerald and a dog named Ocean. The mosaic was discovered within a villa dating back to the late second to third centuries A.D., near the ancient city of Adramytteion.
The villa, excavated in 2025 and early 2026 by a team led by archaeologist Hüseyin Özgen of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, contained three mosaic-paved halls and a network of pipes and drains. The largest mosaic, measuring approximately 16.4 by 11.8 feet (5 by 3.6 meters), is located in the villa’s main reception hall and consists of 15 panels. These panels depict a variety of creatures, including birds, fish, felines, a gorgon (possibly Medusa), and a winged horse (possibly Pegasus).
Two of the animals are specifically named within the mosaic. A panel to the left of the entrance features a pale cat seated on a blue-green cushion, with the Greek letters ΖΜΑΡΑΓΔΙΝ (Zmaragdin) written above it, meaning “emerald.” Özgen suggests the relaxed posture of the cat indicates it was a pet. Another panel depicts a dog named Ocean. The mosaic is believed to memorialize these household animals and may have been commissioned by a wealthy Roman resident.
Adramytteion was a provincial capital and important trading hub in Asia Minor during the Roman period, due to its location on the Aegean Sea. The mosaic was created using white, black, red, orange, yellow, pink, burgundy, blue, turquoise and green tiles.
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