Basket-makers at Mersin. A large city and a busy port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey and is the capital of the Mersin Province. 23 levels of occupation have been excavated at Mersin, including occupation by all the major powers of the region from prehistory onwards. Conquered by everyone including the Selcuk Turks, the Mongols, the Crusaders and the Armenians. Occupied by French and British troops in 1918 - liberated by Turkish Army in 1920.