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”.

- Advertisement -

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.

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.

- Advertisement -

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 -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 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, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Archaeologists investigate sacred Piedra Letra monument

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have conducted a study of Piedra Letra, located on a hill overlooking Huehuetónoc in the Mexican state of Guerrero.

Monument linked to Iberian star mythology discovered in Jódar

Archaeologists from the Research Institute for Iberian Archaeology (IAI) at the University of Jaén (UJA) have discovered a monument connected to the sun and other celestial bodies within Iberian mythology.

Project is restoring Costa Rica’s mysterious stone spheres

A joint team of specialists from Costa Rica and Mexico are restoring three stone spheres at the Finca 6 Museum Site in Palmar de Osa.

Inscription sheds light on First Emperor’s quest for immortality

China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was born in 259 BC in Handan, the capital of Zhao. He was originally named Ying Zheng, or Zhao Zheng, with ‘Zheng’ drawn from Zhengyue, the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Artefacts from Battle of Dubienka unearthed near Uchanie

On July 18th, 1792, Polish forces under General Tadeusz Kościuszko clashed with Russian troops in what became one of the defining engagements of the Polish-Russian War.

Submerged port discovery could lead to Cleopatra’s lost tomb

Archaeologists have discovered a submerged ancient port near the ruins of the Taposiris Magna temple complex west of Alexandria, Egypt.

Archaeologists begin landmark study of Dzhetyasar culture settlements

Archaeologists from the Margulan Institute of Archaeology and the German Institute of Archaeology are conducting the first ever large-scale study of Dzhetyasar culture sites in Kazakhstan.

Study reveals arsenical bronze production during Egypt’s Middle Kingdom

A new open-access study published in Archaeometry unveils the first direct evidence of arsenical bronze production on Elephantine Island, Aswan, dating to Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (c. 2000–1650 BCE).