Archaeologists in Devon, England, have unearthed the remains of a sprawling Roman villa dating back over 1,600 years. The fourth-century villa was discovered on farmland between the villages of Halberton and Sampford Peverell.
The excavation, a collaboration between the University of Exeter and Cotswold Archaeology through the Saving Halberton's Ancient Roman Environment (SHARE) project, revealed a significant mosaic floor.
"The polychrome mosaic is the most westerly example to have been found in a villa in Roman Britain," said Bill Horner, county archaeologist and historic environment manager at Devon County Council. The mosaic features red, white, and dark blue cubes arranged in a stylized floral pattern with eight overlapping petals. This colorful mosaic is considered the westernmost example ever found at a Roman villa in Britain.
In addition to the villa, the site included two other stone buildings, believed to be a bathhouse and an agricultural structure. Researchers expressed surprise at the elaborateness of the bathhouse.
Artifacts found at the site include ancient pottery fragments, a copper-alloy bracelet, a silver-plated spoon, a beaker, and an engraved gemstone depicting the goddess Victory. These discoveries suggest the villa was inhabited by a wealthy Roman family.
"This villa was undoubtedly home to people of wealth and high standing," said Susan Greaney, a professor at the University of Exeter and the project's leader. "From day one, it has offered us a wealth of interesting and sometimes surprising finds."
The site was first identified in 2004 by a local metal detectorist who discovered Roman remains. The excavated mosaic is slated for careful transport to the Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life.
Britain was part of the Roman Empire from A.D. 43 until the early fifth century. This find adds to a series of significant Roman discoveries in England in recent years, including a large settlement in the Cotswolds and various artifacts unearthed for a British railway project.