Archaeologists have uncovered an ornate Roman mosaic in the ancient Turkish city of Aspendos, close to the region where St Paul helped spread Christianity beyond the Levant. The find matters because it offers rare evidence of pagan religious art from a period when Christianity was becoming increasingly influential across the eastern Roman world.

Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the discovery in June. The mosaic was found on Theatre Street in Aspendos, an ancient city about 25 miles east of Antalya, and is described as depicting a river god; the street links the city’s acropolis with its well-preserved Roman theatre.