On farmland in Devon, UK, excavators have identified the remains of a Roman villa complex that included a rare mosaic floor and a substantial bathhouse.
Finds from a two-month dig between Halberton and Sampford Peverell point to the ways an affluent household displayed status in late Roman.
What's happening?
According to a report from Phys.org, the 129-square-foot mosaic was laid with thousands of red, white, and dark blue-gray tesserae and dates back to the 4th century A.D. Teams from the University of Exeter and Cotswold Archaeology uncovered it beneath the farmland while working with community volunteers.
Project lead Dr. Susan Greaney said, as reported by Phys.org, "this villa was undoubtedly home to people of wealth and high standing." At the center of the floor is a circular design showing a stylized flower formed from eight overlapping teardrop-shaped petals.
The site included more than the villa itself. Archaeologists also identified a separate bathhouse with painted-plaster walls and at least two plunge pools, pointing to a setting built with both comfort and prestige in mind.
Other artifacts from the excavation included pottery, a copper-alloy bangle, a silver-plated spoon, and a blue glass intaglio used to seal wax documents, one of them depicting the goddess Victory.
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Why does it matter?
Discoveries like this help fill in the picture of Roman life in what is now Britain, particularly in areas where evidence of elite households is less common. County Archaeologist Bill Horner said, as reported by Phys.org, "the polychrome mosaic is the westernmost example to have been found in a villa in Roman Britain."
What is now a quiet agricultural landscape was once home to a sophisticated estate outfitted with luxury amenities.
The outlet noted that after conservation work is complete, the mosaic is expected to go on display at Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life. For now, specialists are carefully lifting it so the surface can be stabilized and its colors and patterning preserved for the future.
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