Liverpool archaeologist joins rush to rescue Turkish slice of history

Archaeologists from around the world are engaged in a desperate race to save the ancient city of Zeugma on the Euphrates River in southern Turkey.

Mosaics regarded by archaeologists as some of the best in the world have been discovered at the site but the city is due to be flooded by a lake created by the nearby Birecik hydro-electric dam.

Turkish president Ahmet Necdet Sezer has ordered a ten-day delay in the latest proposed flooding, but the area in which the mosaics were found has already been submerged.

The waters will rise a further 80m by September, submerging other key areas of the city. During a visit to the site, Turkish minster of state Mustfa Yilmaz ruled out any more delays. "Turkey will suffer from a further delay. We cannot afford to waste millions of dollars by postponing the opening of the dam."

Jacques Mechin, deputy general manager of the international consortium building the dam, said there was mounting pressure to complete the dam. "It costs us $30 million for each month of delay."

Among academics from France, Australia and the United States working with Turkish archaeologists is Phil Freeman of Liverpool University, who flew out to help at a few days' notice.

"As soon as I finished my term's work I jumped on to a plane to get out here. I can only stay for a week as I have to get back to set and mark re-sit papers," he said.

He described the finds as "staggering and incalculable in terms of their value". Dr Freeman, a specialist in Roman archaeology with a particular interest in eastern empire, said: "Everything is there - it is like a time slice from that period, a period about which we know very little."

He dismissed Turkish government plans for underwater excavation of the site: "The water is completely destroying it, the villas and palaces are being washed away by the water."

Asked how he felt at the loss of the site, he said: "Professionally, I would feel very concerned, but I have seen it so many times before. I just switch off and move on."

Zeugma, a key Roman city on the empire's frontier with Persia, is believed to have been destroyed by an earthquake in the 3rd century AD.

Dr Freeman described the 600 square metres of mosaics as "unbelievable in the workmanship - among the best in the world. It would take all the mosaicists specialists in Europe more than two years to restore them."