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SUN. 10/01/2000

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Birecik Dam, with the water almost at its highest level.  When Digital Ranch first visited Zeugma in June, the water had just begun to rise; now, the Roman Villa at level A is completely underwater.  At present it can only be seen by the fish, but hopefully tomorrow the expedition's scuba-diving video team will also get a glimpse.

Up river from the dam is level B, where last-minute excavation work is proceeding as rapidly as possible before the Euphrates reaches its final level.  When it does, this site will be submerged.  Archeologists and conservators are working side by side to recover as much information as possible, removing some mosaics and frescoes and other objects, and leaving some in situ.  It's estimated that in 500 years' time, the lake will be dry, and there is a strong belief that future generations will then have the opportunity to do further work on the many parts of Zeugma which will stay underwater for five centuries, still a shorter period of time than they have been underground since Zeugma ended its days as a Roman city sometime around the 4th or 5th century AD.

Rob Early, head of the Oxford Archeological Unit, speaking to several reporters.  More than 20 journalists from all over Turkey, including the Associated Press and the Financial Times, traveled to Zeugma for an update the progress of the work.

Another view of the excavation of level B.  In the upper left-hand corner is Birecik Dam.

In the laboratory at the Zeugma Excavation House, conservators work to clean and preserve some of  the magnificent mosaics from Zeugma.  DP Tufan Turanli and Digital Rancher Tod Mesirow work both sides of the room at the same time.

Working on the mosaics.  They're cleaning them in preparation for mounting on an aluminum honeycomb and fiberglass backing, so they can be hung safely in the Gaziantep Museum, where they will recover some of their original elegance.

One of the mosaics with a close-up view of the drawing created to guide the conservators in the work.

This iron object is one of the most magnificent finds of Zeugma.  Its purpose is as-yet unknown.  There is some speculation that it could be a Roman Legion's Standard, but there are two hinges at the top and bottom, and the exact nature is something to be discovered in the future.  If it turns out to be a Legion's Standard, it would be the first of its kind ever discovered.