Boxford Roman mosaic facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boxford Roman mosaic |
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The mosaic revealed after the August 2019 excavation
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| Year | 4th century AD |
| Medium | Mosaic |
| Dimensions | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Location | Boxford, West Berkshire, England |
The Boxford Roman mosaic is an amazing ancient artwork found in Boxford, England. It was rediscovered by archaeologists in August 2017. This beautiful mosaic was made during the time of the Roman Empire, about 1,600 years ago!
The mosaic is over 6 meters (about 20 feet) long. It shows a famous hero named Bellerophon battling a scary monster called the Chimera. An expert on Roman mosaics, Anthony Beeson, said this discovery is "without question the most exciting mosaic discovery made in Britain in the last 50 years."
How Was the Mosaic Found?
The Boxford Roman mosaic was found during a special community archaeology project in 2017. This project started in 2011. It looked into three Roman sites near the village of Boxford.
The project was led by the Boxford History Project and the Berkshire Archaeology Research Group. Many local volunteers helped out. Experts from Cotswold Archaeology also guided the work.
Unearthing a Roman Villa
In 2017, the team uncovered a Roman villa, which is like a large country house. The mosaic was found at one end of this building. At first, only half of the mosaic was uncovered. It was then carefully covered up again to keep it safe.
In 2019, the mosaic was fully uncovered. It was carefully studied and recorded. After that, it was covered up again to protect it for the future.
What Stories Does the Mosaic Tell?
The Boxford mosaic brings to life some of the most famous heroes from Greek mythology. These are ancient stories from Greece.
- Hercules is shown fighting a Centaur. A Centaur is a creature that is half-man and half-horse.
- Pelops is seen winning a race. He won the hand of a king’s daughter by cleverly changing his racing chariot.
- Bellerophon is shown killing the fire-breathing Chimaera monster. He gets help from his flying horse, Pegasus, and a special lance. This legend is very old and spread to many countries. In Britain, it became the story of Saint George and the Dragon.
