Amazing Roman mosaic found in England at the construction site of a supermarket
(ORDO NEWS) — In England, archaeologists have unearthed a ‘fantastic’ Roman mosaic on land intended for a supermarket. Scientists believe that this place was once a villa.
Before construction began on an Aldi store in Olney, Buckinghamshire, a team of experts from Oxford Archeology was asked to survey a piece of land.
The research team was brought in because evidence of a Roman settlement had previously been found in this part of the city.
Once they got to work, they discovered colored mosaic tiles that they now believe were part of a Roman villa with a bath nearby.
Oxford Archeology tweeted about a “pretty exciting find”: “There is a previously known Roman site in Olney Buckinghamshire, so when work began we knew there was room for some pretty interesting structures and finds, but…mosaic! Wow!”.
According to a press release from Oxford Archeology, the mosaic still has “bright colors and intricate decorative patterns”.
“The open areas, surprisingly bright, show blue and cream decorations along the outer border and a red, white and blue pattern with typical Roman decorative elements in the infill,” the report said.
Next to the mosaic, archaeologists unearthed several stone structures, which, in their opinion, could be cisterns for collecting water and part of a bathhouse.
John Boothroyd, senior project manager for Oxford Archeology, said: “Because of the site’s location, we expected to see some notable Roman remains, but the discovery of this fantastic mosaic far exceeded those expectations.”
Anthony Williamson, chief executive and co-owner of Angle Property, said the find “caught us all by surprise.”
“The Roman Mosaic adds to our knowledge and understanding of our history, and it will be fully recorded and published in due course,” he added.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.
