An ancient mosaic, thought to be part of a Roman villa and bathhouse, was discovered in southeast England as workers prepared the site for the construction of a supermarket.
Archaeologists discovered the ancient mosaic brickwork while surveying the site in the Buckinghamshire town of Olney before construction on the new Aldi supermarket began.
“We can now share a pretty exciting find,” Oxford Archaeology tweeted. “A Roman mosaic, probably belonging to the Durobrivan group from the East Midlands, that we uncovered during excavations at Olney, Buckinghamshire on behalf of Angle Property.”
We can now share a pretty exciting find, just in time for #FindsFriday …A Roman #mosaic, probably belonging to the Durobrivan group from the East Midlands, that we uncovered during excavations at Olney, Buckinghamshire on behalf of Angle Property 1/3#romanarchaeology pic.twitter.com/NyQ3lnZoZt
— Oxford Archaeology (@oatweet) March 17, 2023
“There is a previously known Roman settlement at Olney #buckinghamshire so when work started, we knew there was the possibility to find some pretty cool structures and finds but … a mosaic! Wow!” Oxford Archaeology said.
The dig was commissioned by the property’s developer, Angle Property, due to the site’s proximity to the existing Roman Site at Olney.
“Due to the site location we anticipated some notable Roman remains, but the discovery of this fantastic mosaic far exceeded those expectations,” said John Boothroyd of Oxford Archaeology. “To be able to preserve remains of this quality and importance is a brilliant outcome.”
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According to Oxford Archaeology, which has deemed the ancient Roman mosaic “archaeological remains of high significance,” archaeologists who examined it said it features “vibrant colors and intricate decorative patterns” made up of red, white, and blue tiles.
The tiles, which extend beneath a nearby road and prevent the further investigation, are thought to be from a Roman villa and bathhouse.
Workers have covered the mosaic and are preserving the area so that construction can continue without causing further damage.
The mosaic’s discovery comes after archaeologists in northern Britain revealed last week that they had discovered a 1,600-year-old cemetery in Leeds, along with the skeletal remains of a late-Roman aristocratic woman.
