A rare, centuries-old Roman mosaic has been unearthed in a farmer’s field.
The artwork, which dates back to the third or fourth century AD, depicts a scene from Homer’s The Iliad – the epic fight between Achilles and the Trojan hero, Hector – and is one of only a handful of such mosaics in Europe.
It was discovered during excavations of an elaborate villa complex discovered on a site in Rutland, Historic England said.
Such is its rarity and importance, the site has been officially protected as a scheduled monument by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), it was announced on Thursday.
The artwork is thought to have formed the floor of a large entertaining or dining area within a villa
It is unique in the UK in featuring two heroes of antiquity, Achilles and Hector
Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive, described the find as “remarkable”.
The mosaic formed the floor of a large entertaining or dining…
