Rare 4th century Roman mosaic discovered in the UK

Image courtesy: Pixabay (Representational image)

London: Amateur archaeologists have unearthed a 1,600-year-old Roman mosaic in the UK, which is believed to be one of the most spectacular discoveries in the last 50 years.

The rare detailed mosaic, dating back to around AD 380, features the Greek hero Bellerophon riding the winged horse Pegasus, was found in a Field near Boxford in Berkshire.

The mosaic is square-shaped, roughly 10 metres in length and on each side it has a half-metre border made from red roof tiles cut into cubes, called tesserae, forming a panel adjacent to the nearby interior walls.

Only one side has been revealed so far, it is believed the whole central square of the mosaic has been well preserved.

Experts have described it as the most exciting mosaic discovery in Britain for the last 50-years, 'The Telegraph' reported.

It was uncovered during a community archaeology project by volunteers and resident historians working with Cotswold Archaeology and the Boxford Heritage Project in the UK.