Geometric mosaic floor with rare painted tiles found in France

Archaeologists have discovered a polychrome geometric mosaic floor in a Gallo-Roman home on a hill overlooking Alès in southern France. The mosaic features a crossword puzzle-like interlaced meander pattern in white and black tesserae, with rare painted accents in deep red and yellow. It dates to the 1st century B.C.

A team from France’s National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) is excavating the steep slopes of Hermitage hill before construction of a housing development. Since it began in February, the excavation has uncovered more than 40,000 square feet, revealing four ancient dwellings partially built into the rock and a small burial ground.

The remains of the dwellings are well preserved, attesting to the architectural features of their construction. The interior walls are covered with clay to contain water infiltration from the limestone banks they were carved into. Faint traces of wall paintings are visible on the clay coating. The water management system is enhanced by underground tile pipes on drainage layers of stone. The floors of these homes were made of limestone slabs or lime concrete over a layer of stone chippings and limestone powder.

One of the buildings, originally built of stone and beaten earth, was later remodeled with concrete paved floors decorated with mosaics. The polychrome mosaic is the central panel on the floor of a space measuring 15 x 12.5 feet.

Around this carpet, two sections composed entirely of white tesserae and devoid of patterns raise questions about the function of the room: were they alcoves or special arrangements intended to set up a bench or specific furniture? Finally, one side of the pavement has a pattern of white crosses on a black background framed in white, which could indicate the location of an opening, possibly a door leading to another room. Ongoing research aims to clarify the organization of the building and to confirm whether it was indeed a domus , a Roman urban house generally occupied by a wealthy family.

On the east side of this building, archaeologists unearthed a rainwater drainage conduit made of amphorae with their ends cut off and nested into each other.

South of the dwellings archaeologists found a burial ground with 10 graves dating to between the mid-5th century and the end of the 6th century. The deceased were buried with their heads pointed west and either in coffins or on top of wood planking. Some have a stone cover. There are no grave goods.

The new development will proceed despite the discovery of such significant archaeological material. The mosaics floor will be lifted, restored and put on display. The city government has decided to create a purpose-built exhibition area to house the mosaics permanently.

* This article was originally published here