Turkey: Women adorn Roman designs on clothing, ceramics

By Ismihan Ozguven

ADANA, Turkey (AA) - Roman-era mosaics are being brought to life in southern Turkey, where an institute is teaching how to apply the ancient designs to a variety of wares, from clothing and jewelry to glass, ceramic and wooden ornaments and accessories.

Mosaics excavated and exhibited in the Cukurova region, now covering the provinces of Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay, serve as the theme for the women training at the art design, jewelry and clothing workshops of the Adana Continuation Institute.

"Rome was one of the most impactful civilizations in Cukurova, so we chose it as our theme," said Seher Coskun, the institute's chairwoman.

Organizing study visits to museums in Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay to examine the mosaics exhibited there, the women at the institute set to work depicting these patterns on cup sets, jewelry, covers and clothing. So far, they have prepared a collection of approximately 60 pieces.

"We're ambitious in doing this. We plan to have these sold in museums," said Coskun, adding that they hoped to carry these works to future generations.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin