An incredible mosaic from the time of the Roman Empire was found at the bottom of the sea near Naples
Such a mosaic was made from irregularly shaped pieces of marble. A mosaic from the floor of an ancient Roman villa was discovered on the seabed in the waters near Naples. This is stated in the announcement of the Archaeological Park of Campi Flegrei, which is part of the Ministry of Culture of Italy.
According to archaeologists, the villa went under water as a result of a geological phenomenon called bradyseism, when the earth rises, or in this case, sinks due to pressure below the surface. It is also known that the house was built in the ancient resort town of Baia, which was popular during the late Roman Empire and where the residences of Julius Caesar and Emperor Nero were located.
"Preliminary studies show that the floor is largely made of irregularly shaped pieces of marble that were reused, a technique that was common between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD," the archaeological park said.
The marble was broken because the walls of the room, the height of which exceeded 10 meters, collapsed on the floor. Currently, underwater work is continuing to uncover and restore most of the floor.
At the same time, the mayor of the city of Josi, Gerardo Della Rajone, called the find "amazing". He noted that the floor was laid at the end of the Roman Empire, "shortly before the bradyseism brought these wonders to the bottom of the sea."
In turn, Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology warns that seismic activity in the area will increase from December 2022, so experts fear that the Campi Flegrei volcano may reawaken after the last eruption in 1538.
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