Mosaic with Classical Mythology Images Found in England

A rare mosaic has been found on an amateur excavation in England. It is fourth century. We tend to think of the fourth century as a period where the Roman Empire was in crisis, a prelude to the collapse of the Western Empire in the fifth century. However, in Britain it was something of a golden age for mosaic production. This has been described as the most important mosaic find in Britain from the last 50 years.

Less than half the mosaic, a six-metre strip richly patterned with mythical characters, was uncovered in the last two weeks. It has now been buried again to protect it. The central panels depict the Greek hero Bellerophon riding the winged horse Pegasus. They are shown attacking the fire-breathing monster Chimera, then being offered the king’s daughter as a reward, a legend that would later be Christianised as St George and the dragon. Other scenes on the mosaic include imagery not known from any other British site, according to the experts. The find was made at a Roman site near Boxford where residents and amateur archaeologists and historians, supervised by Cotswold Archaeology, have been excavating since 2011.

Mosaic with Classical Mythology Images Found in EnglandIt is nice to see amateur explorers of the past getting some praise from the media.