Restoration workers have uncovered the mosaic face of an angel in the world-renowned Hagia Sophia Museum in the Turkish city of Istanbul
29 Temmuz 2009 Çarşamba 02:35
The mosaic, believed to be one of a group of six, was found in the pendentive, an arched triangular section supporting the dome of the monument.
Some experts believe the six-winged figure dates back to the 14th century, but the Hagia Sofia Science Board is set to determine the relic's true age by comparing it to similar mosaics found in 1935.
Built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was originally a basilica before it was converted into a mosque after Ottoman Turks conquered the city in 1453.
The mosaics were covered with plaster during the conversion process until 1934, when the Hagia Sophia mosque was turned into a museum, TurkishNY reported
The mosaic, believed to be one of a group of six, was found in the pendentive, an arched triangular section supporting the dome of the monument. 
