Excavations at the Roman town of Wroxeter in Shropshire, England, have revealed an ancient mosaic dating back to the early 2nd century.
The 2,000-year-old Roman mosaic depicts dolphins and fish in colorful white, red and blue tiles, according to a press release from English Heritage.
According to the press release, the ancient city was founded in the 90s AD and was once a thriving city the size of Pompeii. The city is believed to have once had over 200 houses, a public bath, a market and more.
Archaeologists have discovered a “rare” mosaic in the Roman town of Wroxeter. (DeAgostini/Getty Images)
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Although very few buildings remain today, there is still much to discover, as this recent find has shown. To date, much of the city remains unexcavated.
According to the press release, the excavations in the city were carried out in collaboration with English Heritage, the University of Birmingham, Vianova Archaeology & Heritage Services and Albion Archaeology. Thirty archaeologists were involved in the excavations.
The excavations were originally begun with the aim of locating a potential destination for the city's Civic Temple, but much more was found than expected.
The University of Birmingham was involved in the excavations where the mosaic was discovered. (Educational Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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A large monumental building was found located near the main road of the city, as well as a possible sanctuary, neither of which was a particularly surprising find.
The mosaic was a “rare” discovery that archaeologists were “surprised” to discover during excavations.
The artwork was created very soon after the city was originally established and “must have been commissioned by a wealthy and important person,” the press release noted.
Thirty archaeologists explored the site over the course of a month. (iStock)
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Other artifacts that have been found at the site include coins and pottery fragments.
