Ancient Roman Mosaic and Estate Discovered Under UK Farmland
WHO:
NY Post - Archaeologists involved in the discovery include the Saving Halberton's Ancient Roman Environment (SHARE) project, a partnership between the University of Exeter and Cotswold Archaeology.
Fox News - Bill Horner, county archaeologist and historic environment manager at Devon County Council, and Susan Greaney, an archaeology professor at the University of Exeter, are key figures in the excavation.
WHAT:
Fox News - Archaeologists uncovered two additional stone buildings alongside the villa, one believed to have been a bathhouse and another likely used for agriculture.
Fox News - The colorful mosaic features red, white, and dark blue cubes arranged in a stylized flower with eight overlapping petals.
Fox News - Project leader Susan Greaney stated, "At the outset, we knew this villa, and its surrounding working areas, was an important site for understanding the Romanization of Devon."
Fox News - Officials are working to carefully transport the mosaic to the local Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life.
NY Post - A fourth-century Roman mosaic made of thousands of colorful stone cubes arranged in a floral pattern was discovered.
Fox News - The excavation revealed the remains of a sprawling ancient Roman villa dating back over 1,600 years, along with hundreds of burned olive pits, a delicate copper-alloy bracelet, a fine silver-plated spoon, a beaker, pottery fragments, and an engraved gemstone depicting the goddess Victory.
Fox News - The colorful mosaic is described as the most westerly example found in a villa in Roman Britain.
WHERE:
NY Post - The mosaic and villa were found on farmland in Devon, England, between the villages of Halberton and Sampford Peverell.
WHEN:
Fox News - The site first came to light in 2004 when local metal detectorist John Hill discovered Roman remains.
WHY:
Fox News - The discoveries indicate that the villa was once home to a wealthy Roman family, showcasing the integration of this area into the Roman Empire.
HOW:
Fox News - The excavation was conducted by archaeologists as part of the SHARE project, which aims to understand the Romanization of Devon.
(UPDATED August 5, 2026 23:53 UTC)
Archaeologists have made an exciting discovery, uncovering two additional stone buildings near a villa, one thought to be a bathhouse and the other likely used for agriculture. The vibrant mosaic found at the site features a stunning arrangement of red, white, and dark blue cubes, forming a stylized flower with eight overlapping petals. Project leader Susan Greaney emphasized the significance of the villa and its surroundings for understanding the Romanization of Devon, as officials prepare to carefully transport the mosaic to the local Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life.
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(UPDATED August 5, 2026 22:14 UTC)
Archaeologists have uncovered a stunning fourth-century Roman mosaic made of thousands of colorful stone cubes, along with the remains of a sprawling ancient Roman villa in Devon, England, between the villages of Halberton and Sampford Peverell. This excavation, part of the SHARE project led by key figures like Bill Horner and Susan Greaney, revealed artifacts including hundreds of burned olive pits, a delicate copper-alloy bracelet, a silver-plated spoon, pottery fragments, and an engraved gemstone depicting the goddess Victory. These findings suggest that the villa was once home to a wealthy Roman family, highlighting the area's integration into the Roman Empire.