Archaeologists discover underwater mosaic believed to date back to Roman Empire
Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient mosaic underwater off the coast of Naples, Italy, that might date back to the end of the Roman Empire. The piece is made from marble.
A team of underwater archaeologists have uncovered an ancient mosaic off the coast of Naples, Italy.
The rare find was discovered in the Submerged Archaeological Park of Baia.
"Thousands of marble slabs, hundreds of different shapes, [were] brought together to create a very articulated geometry" Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park officials wrote in a Facebook post.
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The park is located in Campi Flegrei, an area of volcanic origin.
It's believed that the pieces are originally from a reception room of a villa built towards the end of the Roman Empire before volcanic activity, known as "bradyseism," brought the remains to the sea floor.
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"There is the phenomenon of bradyseism, it consists of a elevation (positive bradyseism) or lowering of the ground level (negative bradyseism) relatively slow on the human time scale but very fast compared to geological times," the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park's website says.
The mosaic that was found measures over 250 square meters.
"A very expensive and demanding intervention for the owner of the Villa, but he had to settle for recycled materials, ie second-hand marble, to create the chosen module, formed by refined squares, with each with inscribed circles," the Facebook post said.
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The local mayor of the Bacoli municipality, Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, said the findings were "stupendous," according to a Facebook post.
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"Look at the results of the latest restoration at sea. A marble floor of a’antica Villa of’ Roman times. In the imperial city lying on the seabed of Bacoli. In the largest underwater Archaeological Park in the world," he wrote.
He thanked the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park and said the discovery will help enhance tourism.
The find was a coordination between the CSR Restoration of Cultural Heritage and the Naumacos Underwater Archaeology and Technology.
Researchers are working to extract the pieces of marble from the ocean floor.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park for comment.