Archaeologists have discovered a mosaic commissioned by a Roman household to honor its dog and cat, dating back nearly 2,000 years. The artwork, believed to be from the late second or third century AD, was found within the remains of a Roman villa located beneath the ancient harbor city of Adramytteion on Turkey’s Aegean coast, according to Live Science.
The mosaic measures approximately 16.4 by 11.8 feet and consists of 15 individual scenes featuring birds, fish, felines, and mythological figures, including the Gorgon Medusa at its center. Among the various animals depicted, only two were named: a cat called Emerald and a dog named Ocean.
Hüseyin Özgen, who leads the Adramytteion research team at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, stated that the names indicate that Emerald and Ocean were significant to the household, as detailed in his study published in the Journal of Mosaic Research.
The mosaic features a pale-colored cat lounging on a blue-green cushion, with her name, ΖΜΑΡΑΓΔΙΝ, meaning “emerald,” inscribed above her in Greek. Özgen suggested that this relaxed pose implies Emerald was a cherished member of the household rather than a stray. He proposed that the name Emerald may be linked to the deserts of Roman Egypt, where emeralds were historically mined, indicating that the villa’s owner might have had connections to North Africa.
The dog, Ocean, is depicted in a more dynamic pose, either mid-leap or mid-run, with his name ΩΚΕΑΝΟΣ, the Greek word for “ocean,” also inscribed. Özgen speculated that the dog’s name could reference Adramytteion’s coastal location.
While it is unclear if Emerald and Ocean were pets in the modern sense, Özgen noted that both animals likely had a familiar presence in the villa, significant enough to be represented in the mosaic. Excavations at Adramytteion have been ongoing since 2012, with the Roman villa uncovered in 2025 and early 2026, and further excavations may reveal more historical narratives beneath the ancient city.