Explorers have uncovered opulent Roman villas, including intricate marble floors and mosaics, submerged along the coastline near Naples and Bacoli, Italy, in the area known as the Submerged Archaeological Park of Baiae.

The ruins date back to the last days of the Roman Empire (3rd to 5th century CE), presenting the sophistication of the Roman elite who frequented the seaside resort town, known for its thermal baths and lavish atmosphere.

One of the latest discoveries is a stunning restored marble mosaic floor from a traditional Roman villa, featuring intricate geometric patterns created using the opus sectile technique of precisely cut stone pieces. The floor was originally part of a room in the same villa as a decorated porch with a Roman mosaic.

The town of Baiae was submerged due to bradyseism, a geological phenomenon involving the gradual rise and fall of the earth's surface combined with volcanic activity in the Campi Flegrei area, which has underwater volcanoes that have been active for thousands of years.

Restoring the fragmented and extensive marble floors underwater presents unique challenges,

The Mayor of Bacoli and the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park have praised the find as "stupendous."

The area has become a popular diving spot, allowing visitors to explore the submerged ruins. However, seismic activity in the region has been intensifying, raising fears of a reawakening volcano.

Sources: AOL, NewsYou, PopularMechanics, AncientOrigins

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

The post Stunning Roman mosaic discovered underwater near Naples appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A 1,600-year-old mosaic uncovered during archaeological excavations in the city of Yavne in Israel's coastal plain region will soon be put on display in the plaza of the city's cultural center.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The mosaic was discovered during excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority as part of mandatory explorations that preceded construction of a new residential neighborhood and supervised by Avishag Reiss of the IAA.

The dig, directed by Dr. Eli Haddad, Liat Nadav-Ziv and Dr. Jon Seligman, revealed extensive industrial zone that operated for several centuries.

According to the archaeologists, this was the first time that a pavement of this type had been uncovered in Yavne. They reported that it had been preserved in "excellent" condition, and believe that it might have been part of a "splendid residential building in a wealthy neighborhood adjacent to the industrial zone."

The multicolored mosaic pavement dates to the Byzantine period (the 4th century CE) and features colorful geometric motifs, surrounded by a rectangular black frame.

"At first, we did not realize that the floor was multicolored," said Haddad and Dr. Hagit Torgë.

"We assumed that it was a simple white mosaic paving belonging to yet another industrial installation. But black patches dotted around the mosaic suggested that it was more than one color and prompted us to remove the whitish patina that had coated it for years. The conservation director went to work cleaning the mosaic with a special acid, and to our astonishment, a colorful mosaic carpet was revealed, ornamented with geometric motifs," the experts said.

Once the mosaic had been documented, drawn and photographed in situ, it was removed and temporarily transferred to the Israel Antiquities Authority's mosaic workshop at the Rockefeller Museum, where it has been treated and preserved by the IAA's conservation experts.

Meanwhile, the IAA and the city of Yavne cooperated to find a suitable location for the mosaic, which will be installed at a plaza near Yavne's city cultural center, with assistance from the Israel Lands Authority.

The municipality is currently preparing the infrastructure for the mosaic so it can be enjoyed by the city's residents and the rest of the public. The mosaic will be relocated and preserved using methods similar to the ancient technologies used to create it. The site will be open to the public while the mosaic is being put in place.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Byzantine-era mosaic pavement uncovered in Yavne floors experts appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The latest mosaic find was uncovered at a dig near the northeast entrance to Lod that has been in operation on and off since 1996, when work on a new road in the vicinity unearthed a mosaic that had belonged to a grand Roman-era villa. The villa's mosaic floor turned out to be one of the loveliest ever discovered in Israel and was preserved in unusually good condition.

The mosaics unearthed in the Lod villa depict both realistic and imaginary animals, complex geometric designs and marine scenes. The variety of colors, their quality and the exceptional state of preservation led to local and worldwide interest.

The central panel of the mosaic has been featured in special exhibitions in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Louvre in Paris, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

Dr. Amir Gorzalczany, who is directing the excavations at the site of the future visitors center said, "The excavations at the site exposed a villa that included a large luxurious mosaic-paved reception room triclinium, and an internal columned courtyard, also with mosaics, and a water system. We found evidence for Mediterranean luxury that characterized the Roman Empire, including attributes such as fresco wall paintings."

Gorzalczany explained that the mosaic resembled one discovered on the slopes of Mount Zion in Jerusalem, although it lacked the human figures that appeared in the Mount Zion mosaic.

"It is quite probable that the same artist produced both the mosaics or that two artists worked from a similar design. This type of mosaic is better known in the Western part of the Roman Empire," he said.

Yisrael Hasson, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said, "After 20 years of the IAA's perseverance, we have succeeded in reaching a worthy and committed cooperation with the Lod Municipality. I am happy that the citizens of Israel and worldwide will be able to appreciate the cultural heritage that has waited patiently for world recognition, and will now receive the honor it deserves."

The post 1,700-year-old mosaic unearthed at site of Lod visitors center appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.