Cotswold archaeologists uncover 1,500 year old Roman artefact

The mosaic was found within a fourth century AD Roman Villa.

Archaeologists have been digging on farmland between villages in Devon after Roman remains were found by a metal detectorist in 2004.

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The borders of the mosaic and a series of overlapping squares feature a twisted braid pattern, known as guilloche, which commonly features on Roman mosaics. (Image: Saving Halberton’s Ancient Roman Environment)

The latest discovery was a rare mosaic which features a flower pattern formed with tiny squares and centred with eight teardrop-shaped petals.

The mosaic is formed of thousands of red, white and dark blue cubes and would have been a decorative floor feature of the villa when it was thought to have been installed sometime in the fourth century A.D.

The string of elaborate discoveries, such as a bathhouse with at least two plunge pools, has led experts to believe the villa belonged to people of wealth and status.

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The borders of the mosaic and a series of overlapping squares feature a twisted braid pattern, known as guilloche, which commonly features on Roman mosaics. (Image: Saving Halberton’s Ancient Roman Environment)

The mosaic’s interlaced squares also form a common Roman pattern of a pair of knotted lines.

Other items found on the site were a delicate copper alloy bangle sitting on top of the mosaic, and a fine silver-plated spoon was unearthed in one of the villa rooms.

Cotswolds Archaeology has been working with the University of Exeter to uncover the site.

Project lead Dr Susan Greaney, of the University of Exeter’s Department of Archaeology and History, said: “At the outset, we knew this villa, and its surrounding working areas, was an important site for understanding the ‘Romanisation’ of Devon.

“But from day one, it has offered us a wealth of interesting and sometimes surprising finds in addition to this striking polychrome mosaic. We did not expect to find such an elaborate bathhouse, for example. This villa was undoubtedly home to people of wealth and high standing.”