Researchers studying an underwater city in Italy have discovered an ancient marble floor that once belonged to a Roman villa. The local mayor described the find as “stupendous.”
The discovery was made in Baia Sommersa, a marine-protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site off the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples. The area was once the Roman city of Baia, now submerged due to volcanic activity. Despite being underwater, the structures remain relatively intact, enabling researchers to uncover the mosaic floor.
The Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park announced the discovery on social media, highlighting the “thousands of marble slabs” in “hundreds of different shapes.” The park stated this marble floor is part of the largest underwater restoration project. It described the research as a “new challenge” due to the fragmented and expansive nature of the remains.
The floor is composed of reclaimed marble, previously used to adorn other floors or walls. Each marble piece was cut into squares and inscribed with circles. Based on the style and the repurposing of materials, the floor is believed to date back to the third century A.D.
Researchers are meticulously extracting the marble pieces from the site, carefully navigating around collapsed walls and other debris. The goal is to preserve some of the original geometric patterns. Once recovered, the slabs are brought to land and cleaned in freshwater tanks. The marble pieces are then studied “slab by slab” to reconstruct the former mosaic.
“The work is still long and complex, but we are confident that it will yield many insights and great satisfaction,” the park stated.
Watch a video showing the floor in situ.
Images by Edoardo Ruspantini, from Facebook: Archaeological Park Phlegraean Fields
Following the recent seismic activity in the area, the Archaeological Park is closed for at least today.
How the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park is assessing the marble floor
Dating the floor
Archaeologists have dated the marble floor taking into account two aspects.
- The large hall (“basilica”) to which the floor belonged is typical of noble residences from the end of the 3rd century AD. During this period, large reception rooms were inserted in place of previous smaller rooms.
- The marbles used are very irregular and many of them as the result of reuse; that is, they had previously been used to decorate other floors or other walls. This phenomenon is also typical of the Late Antique period (III – V century AD).
Why are the plates so fragmented?
This depends both on the fact that reused marbles are used, cut from previous geometries, but above all because the walls of the room, more than 10 meters high, have collapsed directly onto the floor. Remains of these walls are still preserved, with fragmented marble slabs underneath. These portions will need to be carefully excavated, hoping to be able to save part of the geometries.
How the work will continue
In addition to the excavation and underwater restoration, archaeologists are also working on land. The slabs have been placed in large tanks of fresh water, to eliminate the salts of the sea water. They are then studying them slab by slab, to try to recompose an entire module.
