THE APPLE TREE MOSAIC WAS UNEARTHED AT THE RESCUE EXCAVATION IN THE VILLAGE OF YAVRU, AMASYA PROVINCE

Abstract

A rescue excavation was undertaken between 17.06-15.07.2013 in the village of Yavru, Amasya Province as a collaboration between The Amasya Museum (The Ministry of Culture and Toursim) and The Hitit University. At the end of the excavation, architectural remains belonging to a villa dating to the East Roman Period were unearthed. It is seen that mosaic facade is used as ground floor in two of the places in the building. One of these mosaic panels is called as "Amasya Apple Tree Mosaic". in the historical process, Apple has an symbolic and mythologic meaning. ?t is of high importance to Amasya city for a host of listed reasons. There is a special genre of apple called ?The Amasya Apple? that has been grown in the soil of city for long periods of time and it has been a symbol of the city. The Amasya province Yavru Village mosaics point to the existence of a local workshop working in the region, including regional motifs such as apple trees, as well as the common motif repertoire that reflects the liking of the Roman Period. In this article, "Amasya Apple Tree Mosaic" and the use of apple tree as a symbol will be discussed. Amasya With the discovery of the apple mosaic, it was registered that the Amasya apple was a product unique to the region known also in the Roman period. In addition to contributing to the cultural heritage of Turkey, this discovery will also contribute to the Turkish economy as a branded product if the promotion is better done.