PET PROJECT

Archeologists Uncover Stunning Secret Buried for 2,000 Years

The ancient artwork shows how some things have always been the same.

Archeologists have uncovered a remarkable Roman mosaic that appears to immortalize two household pets — a cat named Emerald and a dog called Ocean. The 2,000-year-old artwork was discovered inside a villa beneath the ancient harbor city of Adramytteion on Turkey’s Aegean coast, Live Science reported. Dating to the late second or third century A.D., the 16-by-12ft mosaic contains 15 scenes featuring animals, mythological figures and a central image resembling Medusa. But only two animals are named. Emerald, written in Greek above a pale-coloured cat lounging on a blue-green cushion, may have been a cherished household pet. Ocean appears mid-run or leap, with his name possibly reflecting the coastal city where he lived. Researcher Hüseyin Özgen said in his study in the Journal of Mosaic Research that the names suggest the animals had personal significance to the villa’s residents. He also suggested the owner may have been a merchant with North African connections, which could explain Emerald’s name. Researchers excavated the villa in 2025 and early 2026.