Divers Discover Mesmerizing Roman Mosaic Beneath the Sea

A stunning floor mosaic that once adorned an ancient Roman villa has been unearthed underwater near Naples, Italy. The colorful marble would have made up a late Roman-era porch, or “protiro,” at the building’s entrance, according to a statement from the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park. Researchers think the discovery dates to the third century C.E.

The luxurious villa was located in the ancient city of Baiae, sometimes called the Las Vegas of ancient Rome. During the late Roman Empire, rulers like Julius Caesar and Nero owned homes in the town, which was known as a destination that aristocrats flocked to for drinking, parties and general hedonism.

“It was absolutely a place of pleasure and debauchery,” Candace Rice, an archaeologist at Brown University, told PBS’s “Secrets of the Dead” in 2017. “The mere mention of Baiae brought to mind scandal and could ruin your reputation.”

The ancient floor is a kind of mosaic known as “opus sectile,” which is Latin for “cut work.” In this style, instead of using many similarly sized pieces of tile to create a pattern, artists would “[cut] shapes to fit the component parts of the design,” per Encyclopedia Britannica.

In its heyday, the house sat in a prime location overlooking the sea. However, the region is also home to the Phlegraean Fields, a sprawling volcanic area near Naples. Due to bradyseism, a geological phenomenon in which the ground sinks or rises due to pressure changes under the earth’s surface, the house ultimately fell into the Gulf of Pozzuoli.

Today, the region is a popular spot for divers interested in checking out underwater ruins. Various ancient fountains, baths, columns and other structures are submerged in the protected area.

Recently, the mosaic has been at the center of restoration efforts. However, the ancient floor is quite fragile, and the surviving designs have broken into many pieces. According to the archaeological park’s statement, the complex process will take time.

As part of these efforts, researchers have also been bringing some pieces of the mosaic back to the surface and submerging them in freshwater to remove salt. They aim to eventually recreate some of the designs on land.

Additionally, divers have found fragments of the villa’s walls, which once stood up to 32 feet tall. The walls appear to have fallen on top of the mosaic, which helps explain its current condition.

Bacoli’s mayor, Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, has also expressed his excitement about the discovery.

“The floor in opus sectile, with its elaborate geometric motifs and extraordinary craftsmanship, offers a fascinating window into the life and art of ancient Rome,” he says, per a translation by All That’s Interesting’s Austin Harvey. “This discovery allows visitors to immerse themselves in history, exploring the hidden wonders beneath the surface of the sea.”

Julia Binswanger | READ MORE

Julia Binswanger is a freelance arts and culture reporter based in Chicago. Her work has been featured in WBEZ, Chicago magazine, Rebellious magazine and PC magazine.