It is these well-built, expansive homes which often appear thousands of years later in the archeological record.
Anewly discovereddomus, or townhome, in Colosseum Archeological Park in Rome has added to this rich history.
The domus was built in the first or second century BCE during the Republican period of Roman history.
It is located near the Palatine Hill and the Vicus Tuscus, an important commercial road.
Rising under the arched ceiling is themosaic, which features its won depicted arches.
The mosaic is not merely made of pretty stone shards like many others.
Instead, it includes iridescent glass, stunning blue Egyptian tiles, and tesserae of white marble.
Seashells are interspersed throughout as design elements, and they are remarkably well-preserved.
This is fitting, as the themes of the mosaic are heavily nautical.
Two crossed, arching bows of boats frame a trident outlined in blue.
There is a seaside scene and ships glide over stone waters.
Shepherds in the fields, weapons for war, and even lotus flowers appear.
This leads researchers to believe the owner may have had a military past.
While excavations continue on the domus, another room has yielded a beautiful fresco.
A map of ancient Rome with Vicus Tuscus at the center.
A map of ancient Rome with Vicus Tuscus at the center. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
