Enormous Roman Mosaic Found Under Farmer's Field

[Rowan]

A giant poolside mosaic featuring intricate geometric patterns has been unearthed in southern Turkey, revealing the far-reaching influence of the Roman Empire at its peak.

The mosaic, which once decorated the floor of a bath complex, abuts a 25-foot (7-meter)-long pool, which would have been open to the air, said Michael Hoff, a University of Nebraska, Lincoln art historian and director of the mosaic excavation. The find likely dates to the third or fourth century, Hoff said. The mosaic itself is an astonishing 1,600 square feet (149 square meters) — the size of a modest family home.

The Romans swam! Who knew?

Full story

[LoveHistory]

Sadly, I will never find something like that under my house/yard. Unless I move to Europe.

That's a very cool thing to find.

[lauragill]

I'm still fuming over all the mosaics and other potential historical treasures lost when the Turks flooded Apamea with the Birejik Dam.

[Margaret]

Gosh, it's beautiful!

[fljustice]

Thanks for the link, Rowan. Beautiful! I had the privilege of working on a much smaller bath mosaic at a Tuscany dig three years ago. After removing the dirt with tiny tools, brushes, and an acid-free wash; we covered it with a special plastic sheet and put back the dirt. Mosaic conservators were to come back the next season and seal it with something, so it could withstand the open (polluted) air. The biggest threat to it was a nearby tree whose roots were pushing up the tiles in several places. I think the archaeologists were going to have the tree removed. It took several teams all summer to uncover and treat that room-sized mosaic. I can't imagine how many people it took to uncover that huge one in the story!