Narlıkuyu, Mosaik Museum

 

     
 

 

Narlıkuyu Mozaik Müzesi  
   

Narlıkuyu (Turkish for pomegranate fountain) is a small community about 25 km east of Silifke and two km west of Kızkalesi. The former fishing village lives mainly from tourism. Worth mentioning is beside several fish restaurants above all an antique bath house, which under the designation Narlıkuyu Mosaik Müzesi (Narlıkuyu Mosaik Museum) as only exhibit the mosaic of the three Grazien and a basin outlived the times shows.

The mosaic consists of mosaic stones in different colours (tessesae) and shows the three Graces, Euphrosyne (the "happy one"), Thalia (the "flowering one") and Aglaia (the "radiant one") as well as a partridge, birds and flowers.

The four-line Greek inscription above the Graces is translated:

 


"If you ask who discovered these good baths, stranger, bringing to light the source that was once hidden, you should know it is Poimenios, friend and companion of the kings, who justly ruled over the holy islands"

 

 

 
 
Das Mosaik der drei Grazien  
   

Unfortunately, the illumination of the mosaic is very poor. The glass blocks of the front allow the illumination of the mosaic without electricity costs, but do not manage to illuminate it sensibly. If the position of the sun is unfavourable, it is even impossible to view or photograph the mosaic without interference.

 
   

 
   
 
The antique bathing pool  
     
     
Photos: @chim, Monika P.    
Translation aid: www.DeepL.com/Translator    
Source: Wikipedia and others