Date:

Mosaic discovered in ruins of submerged Roman town

A team of underwater archaeologists have discovered a mosaic in the submerged ruins of Roman Baie.

Baiae is a partially submerged Roman town on the shore of the Gulf of Naples in the present-day comune of Bacoli, Italy. The town grew into a popular resort, gaining a reputation for a hedonistic lifestyle, which according to the Roman poet, Sextus Propertius, was a “vortex of luxury” and a “harbour of vice”.

Many notable figures from Roman history visited frequently, including Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (also known as Pompey the Great), Julius Caesar, Gaius Marius, Lucius Licinius Lucullus, Hadrian, and Septimius Severus.

The most significant remains of the town consist of various high-status luxury villas, several dome-like temple structures, and the Parco Archeologico delle Terme di Baia. Some of the temples include the Temple of Diana, the temple of Mercury, and the Temple of Venus – which has since sunk 3 metres beneath ground level.

- Advertisement -
Image Credit : Edoardo Ruspantini

Due to the position of the town on the Cumaean Peninsula in the Phlegraean Fields, an active and volatile volcanic region, local volcanic bradyseismic activity raised and lowered the geology on the peninsula that resulted in the lower parts of the town being submerged.

Underwater archaeologists from the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park have been conducting a survey of the Terme del Lacus area, revealing an ornate mosaic containing white, blue and red tesserae, dating from around 2,000-years-ago.

The mosaic was found in situ in the remains of a Roman structure and consists of psychedelic intertwining geometric lines, crossing braids, and hexagons with concave sides. Archaeologists suggest that the mosaic is similar to designs found in Tunisia, where Carthage, the ancient rival of Rome was conquered in 146 BC during the Third Punic War.

The survey also recently found the remains of a block of structures covering 60 metres in length, stone colonnades, marble columns, and a large piece of marble opus sectile flooring with portasanta and white marble in a chromatic alternating pattern.

Parco Archeologico Campi Flegrei

Header Image Credit : Edoardo Ruspantini

- Advertisement -
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is an award winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 7,500 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education and the BCA Medal of Honour.

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Inca quarries and road network found in Cañete

Archaeologists have discovered Inca quarries and a road network in Cerros de Quilmaná and Cerro Quinta Freno, in the province of Cañete, Peru.

Prison bakery for enslaved people found in Roman Pompeii

Archaeologists have uncovered a Prison bakery during recent excavations in Pompeii.

Baboons in Ancient Egypt were raised in captivity before being mummified

In a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, researchers examined a collection of baboon mummies from the ancient Egyptian site of Gabbanat el-Qurud, the so-called Valley of the Monkeys on the west bank of Luxor.

Archaeologists find 22 mummified burials in Peru

A Polish-Peruvian team of archaeologists have uncovered 22 mummified burials in Barranca, Peru.

Oldest prehistoric fortress found in remote Siberia

An international team, led by archaeologists from Freie Universität Berlin has uncovered an ancient prehistoric fortress in a remote region of Siberia known as Amnya.

Top 10 archaeological discoveries of 2023

The field of archaeology has been continuously evolving in 2023, making significant strides in uncovering new historical findings, preserving cultural heritage, and employing innovative technologies to study the past.

War in Ukraine sees destruction of cultural heritage not witnessed since WW2

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has resulted in a significant loss of human lives and the national and international displacement of many Ukrainian people.

Archaeologists find five Bronze Age axes in the forests of Kociewie

According to an announcement by the Pomeranian Provincial Conservator of Monuments, archaeologists have discovered five Bronze Age axes in Starogard Forest District, located in Kociewie, Poland.