The Hatay Archaeology Museum The Hatay Archaeology Museum, one of the largest in the region, houses over 2,500 mosaic items that date back to the Roman and Byzantine periods. The museum is renowned for its extensive collection of Roman and Byzantine-era mosaics, which were mostly discovered by French archaeologists. It was initially recommended for construction by Claude M Prost, a French archaeologist, in 1934 and came under Turkish control after the annexation of Hatay Province by the Republic of Turkey in 1939. The museum opened its doors to the public in 1948 and showcased various collections from different civilizations until its renovation in 1975. The mosaics on display are made of stone flooring from the ruins of ancient cities, villas, baths, and churches from the Byzantine and Roman eras. Hatay boasts a rich collection of mosaics from the Hellenistic and Roman eras, dating from the 2nd to 3rd centuries. They were discovered in ancient cities such as Daphne, Seleucia Pieria (Samandağ), Antioch, and Tarsus. The mosaics depict famous figures such as Dionysos, Orpheus, and dancers, including Ariadne Abandoned from Defne (Yakto). Excavations in the region have unearthed many artifacts from different periods, including glyphs, relief sculptures, frescoes, and statues dating back to the Hittites and extending into the Roman era. These can be found at sites such as Guneyde, Dehep, Catalhoyuk, Tainat Ac-ana Defne-Harbiye, and others. The museum's collection also includes objects from Antakya and the surrounding areas.