Ancient Roman Mosaic Floor Unearthed Beneath Italian Vineyard
Ancient Roman Mosaic Floor Unearthed Beneath Italian Vineyard
In northern Italy archaeologists have uncovered a rare gem — an incredibly well-preserved mosaic floor from ancient Rome. After almost a century of research, the discovery was made on the site of a long-lost villa.
Around 100 years ago In a hilly area above the town, scholars find remains of an ancient villa at Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy, just north of Verona.
After “countless decades of failed attempts,” the flooring and the foundations of the villa were finally identified by archaeologists at the site finally feet below a vineyard, officials said in a statement.
According to L’Arena local news site, archaeologists in the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Verona Landscape returned to the site last summer to search the foundations of the villa.
Their work continued as recently as February, but was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials said the goal was to determine the “exact extension and exact location” of the ancient construction, which was originally found in the 1920s.
Just one week after returning to the site earlier this month, archaeologists found what they were looking for, L’Arena reports.
Officials from the town shared photos of the discovery on social media this week, which highlight the floor’s complex pattern and vivid colors.
The archaeologists said they are working with the owner of the land and the town to find a suitable way for the public to visit the architectural wonder, but cautioned that significant time and resources will be needed before public viewing is a possibility.
Ancient sites in Italy, a nation that’s been an epicenter of the pandemic, are slowly reopening to the public after months of closures.
On Tuesday, Pompeii, the Roman city buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 A.D., officially reopened with new safety measures including online ticketing, reduced capacity, temperature checks and other social distancing rules.
The Colosseum in Rome plans to reopen to visitors on June 1 with similar safety requirements.