A “completely unique,” 2,000-year-old Roman mausoleum that has emerged from the rubble of a development site in central London is the most intact ever discovered in the U.K.
The monumental tomb — of which low walls, entrance steps and interior flooring remain — is bejeweled with two mosaics composed of small red tiles, each featuring a flower enclosed in concentric circles. More than 100 coins were also strewn across the tomb’s floor.
Archeologists only found the second mosaic when they dug beneath the first one. This indicates the mausoleum floor was raised at least once while it was still being used for burials, they said.
The discovery, which is nestled within the city’s central Southwark area, “provides a fascinating window into the living conditions and lifestyle in this part of the city in the Roman period,” Antonietta Lerz, a senior archeologist at The Museum of London Archeology (MOLA), said in a statement.
Related: Ancient necropolis unearthed just feet away from bustling Paris train station
A video reconstruction of the mausoleum’s interior reveals how the tomb may have been laid out and decorated during Roman times.
more at livescience.com
photo credit mola.org.uk
