Last August, while digging a hole to plant a cherry tree in his field in Salkaya village, Mehmet Emin Sualp noticed a colorful, patterned structure beneath the soil. He reported his discovery to the Elazığ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography, leading to an ongoing excavation.

The excavation has unearthed a floor mosaic, estimated to be around 84 square meters and believed to date back to the early Byzantine or Roman period. Ongoing studies of the mosaic have revealed depictions of Anatolian leopards, wolves, boars, mountain goats, deer, hounds, and pheasants.

Further excavations around the mosaic have uncovered various wall remains and structures, suggesting that the site may have once been a church or a wine-making facility.

Governor Numan Hatipoğlu visited the site and stated that the mosaic is of great historical value. He expressed gratitude to the citizen who made the discovery and praised the Elazığ Museum for bringing this remarkable piece of history to light.

Hatipoğlu announced plans to exhibit the mosaic in Elazığ, contingent on further excavations. He also noted that, in addition to animal figures, the mosaic features representations of the region's flora.

Mehmet Emin Sualp, the farmer who made the discovery, expressed his happiness at contributing to the uncovering of such an important historical artifact.