A stunning dolphin mosaic offering a rare glimpse into ancient Roman luxury has been uncovered by archeologists.
Three artworks – buried for nearly 2,000 years – have been discovered beneath an old town.
One features a wine-mixing vessel with elegant curved handles – a nod to Roman revelry.
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Another displays intricate geometric patterns.
But the true showstopper is a vibrant scene of two dolphins, rendered in thousands of multi-colored tiles and stretching several feet in length, as reported by Need To Know.
All three mosaics date to the 2nd century A.D., making them at least 1,800 years old, and are believed to have adorned a Roman-era spa.
Photographs show the artworks nestled beside ancient stone walls, hinting at the grandeur of the structure they once decorated.
The mosaics emerged from layers of sediment during excavations at the ruins of a Roman building complex that overlooks the former city of Ovilava, which is now called Wels, in Austria.
Experts from the Upper Austrian State Culture Museum announced the find on Friday (30 May), calling it “a significant cultural treasure” and one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in recent years.
Governor of Upper Austria Thomas Stelzer said the finds were “exceptionally rare” for the region and showed that “wonderful cultural treasures” still lie beneath the soil.
The archaeological team will continue excavation work at the site until Friday (6 June).
Afterwards, they plan to incorporate the mosaics into an archaeology exhibit at the Schlossmuseum Linz, a museum in Linz, Austria.
Roman control of the region began in about 15 B.C., transforming the area into part of the provinces of Noricum and Pannonia.
Cities like Ovilava flourished along the Roman road and river networks – until the empire’s decline in the 5th century brought change with the arrival of Huns and Germanic tribes.
Now, centuries later, these rediscovered mosaics are offering a vivid window into a lost world – and a reminder that ancient Rome’s echoes still lie just beneath our feet.
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