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NZ Herald
6 days ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Delicate fragments of frescoes on Roman-era plaster are recovered and gradually reassembled
Pieces are embellished with images of lyres, candelabras, flowers, white cranes, and native plants. One is illustrated with the face of a woman in tears, recognisable by her Flavian-period (AD 69 to 96) hairstyle. Four years ago, the plaster was recovered during an excavation at a construction site in Southwark, just south of the Thames. An archaeologist from the Museum of London Archaeology at a construction site where fragments of painted wall plaster that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London, which began in AD 43, were found. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times The scraps filled 120 assorted boxes. Li's job is to carefully arrange, categorise and restore the original artwork. The frescoes that have emerged, the most colossal of which measures 4.8m by 3m, were hidden from view for more than 1800 years. The museum's haul of discarded Roman-era plaster is the largest ever amassed in the English capital. Rob Symmons, the curator of the extravagant Fishbourne Roman Palace in West Sussex, called the site 'a discovery of the first magnitude'. It is not unusual for painted wall plaster to be recovered from Roman archaeological sites, but rarely is it found in quantities that it was in Southwark, he said. 'Also, it's unusual for excavators to have the time and expertise to attempt reconstructions like the one that Han undertook.' Fragments of floral decoration from a section of the plaster walls. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times The Southwark plaster once adorned at least 20 internal clay walls of what is believed to have been either a luxurious private villa or an upmarket inn for state couriers and officials passing through Londinium, the precursor of modern London. 'When the structure was demolished, material from different walls jumbled together and was dumped into a large pit,' Li said. 'When you are salvaging materials from a masonry wall, the plaster tends to break apart or crumble. It's almost impossible to reconstruct the walls in their entirety, but you can reconstruct enough to see what the schemes are.' The Romans established Londinium shortly after Roman legions, acting on the orders of Emperor Claudius, invaded parts of Britain. A section of the plaster walls found that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times The district in which the building was found is described by Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, a Mola administrator, as a vibrant and prosperous suburb. 'It was the Beverly Hills of Roman London,' he said. 'This is a place they intend to stay and Romanise.' The occupation lasted until AD 410, when the soldiers were withdrawn. Their Saxon successors neglected the area. By the Middle Ages, Southwark, outside the control of London's laws, was known as a place where one could find blood sports such as cockfighting and bearbaiting, alongside brothels and theatres. In 2021, the plaster dumping site was dug up in preparation for development of the property. The following February, a large mosaic decorated with guilloche patterns and Solomon's knot motifs was unearthed. A year later, the excavation yielded remnants of the most intact Roman mausoleum ever discovered in Britain. Graffiti on one of the plaster walls depicts a crying face. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times Li noted that the lower portions of the plaster walls, known as dadoes, were frequently made to look like stone. Some patterns mimic costly Egyptian porphyry, a volcanic rock distinguished by its purplish hue and crystal inclusions, and frame them with veins of African giallo antico, a type of yellow marble. Although the names of the interior decorators are not known, the researchers discovered a tabula ansata, a carving of a decorative tablet sometimes used to sign artworks, scored with the Latin word 'fecit,' meaning 'has made this'. Such maker's marks are usually seen on ceramics in Roman London but not wall plaster. A section of the plaster walls found that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times 'Unfortunately, the section bearing the painter's identity was snapped off,' Li said. Two other fragments were joined together to reveal an etching of a near-complete Greek alphabet. While Roman wall painters in Britain incorporated elements from other imperial outposts such as Xanten, Cologne, and Lyon, some aspects of their art were distinctly British. One fragment initially interpreted as grapes is now understood to depict mistletoe, demonstrating that the artists applied Roman artistic conventions but with a local, British colour palette. Bright yellow panels with pale green borders dominate the middle layers of the frescoes. That decorative touch has surfaced at only a handful of other locations across the island, including the Fishbourne Roman Palace, located roughly 100km southwest of the dig. Li recently visited the palace to observe the wall plaster. He and Symmons suspect that the same hand, or at least artistic school, was responsible for both sets of frescoes. 'When you're looking at two paintings that look identical, down to the stroke, down to the pigment, it really kind of makes you feel like you've discovered something amazing,' Li said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Franz Lidz Photographs by: Museum of London Archaeology ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
New York Post
05-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Archaeologist solves ‘jigsaw puzzle' of Ancient Roman fragments hidden for nearly two millennia
Researchers in London recently announced that a giant 'archaeological puzzle' has been solved, revealing artwork that's been hidden for 1,800 years. The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) announced in a June 17 press release that one of its experts successfully reconstructed a collection of Roman wall plaster. Advertisement The collection of painted ancient plaster is the largest ever discovered in London – and it took an enormous amount of work. 'The decorated plaster was found dumped in a large pit, shattered into thousands of fragments,' the museum's statement noted. 'It took three months for MOLA Senior Building Material Specialist Han Li to lay out all the fragments and painstakingly piece the designs back together.' The mosaic once decorated a high-status Roman building in the Central London district of Southwark, officials said. Advertisement 5 MOLA senior building material specialist Han Li laying out Roman plaster fragments from The Liberty development site in Southwark, south London on June 19, 2025. Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA)/AFP via Getty Images The building 'was demolished some time before AD 200,' MOLA's statement read. 'These beautiful frescoes once decorated around 20 internal walls of an early Roman (AD 43-150) building,' the museum noted. 'These vibrant artworks can be reconstructed to reveal their full glory.' Advertisement 'Now, for the first time in over 1800 years, these vibrant artworks can be reconstructed to reveal their full glory.' Officials said the fresco was designed to show off the property owner's wealth, as well as its good taste. 5 The plaster was first discovered on a construction site in 2021. Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA)/AFP via Getty Images They noted the fresco includes 'yellow panel designs with black intervals beautifully decorated with images of birds, fruit, flowers and lyres.' Advertisement 'Finding repeating yellow panels like these is [rare] … While panel designs were common during the Roman period, yellow panels weren't,' the museum said. 'They have been identified at only a few sites across the country.' 'Tragically, the fragment is broken where the painter's name would have appeared.' Historians also excitedly came across the remains of the artist's signature — though that identity is still lost to time. 5 The artwork which was revealed has been hidden for 1,800 years. The Museum of London Archaeology '[The signature] is framed by a tabula ansata, a carving of a decorative tablet used to sign artwork in the Roman world,' the statement detailed. 'It contains the Latin word 'FECIT,' which translates to 'has made this.'' 'Tragically, the fragment is broken where the painter's name would have appeared, meaning the [person's] identity will likely never be known.' Like many Ancient Roman discoveries, the mosaic also displayed some graffiti left behind by the owners and visitors. Advertisement 5 Historians also came across the remains of the artist's signature. The Museum of London Archaeology Among the graffiti was a drawing of a crying woman with a distinct Flavian period hairstyle, as well as the Greek alphabet. '[O]ther examples in Italy suggest that the alphabet served a practical use, such as a checklist, tally or reference,' the museum said, noting that it's the only known example of its kind from Roman Britain. In a statement, archaeologist Han Li called the discovery a 'once in a lifetime moment.' Advertisement 'Many of the fragments were very delicate and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so it was like assembling the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle.' 'I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness when I started to lay the plaster out,' the expert recalled. 5 The collection of painted ancient plaster is the largest ever discovered in London. The Museum of London Archaeology 'Many of the fragments were very delicate and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so it was like assembling the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle.' Advertisement Li also remarked that '[not] even individuals of the late Roman period in London' would have seen the art, making the discovery particularly special. The discovery of the Roman fresco in London offers a vivid glimpse into the era when Romans ruled Britain, from 43 A.D. to 410 A.D. They maintained their presence in Britain for nearly four centuries before beginning their withdrawal in 410 A.D – and many remnants of their power and influence are being found today. Advertisement In May, British archaeologists announced the discovery of an unusual eight-sided ring in a former drainage ditch. This winter, a Roman grave filled with gypsum was found during a highway construction project in England.
eNCA
20-06-2025
- General
- eNCA
2,000-year-old Roman wall paintings unearthed in London
Archaeologists have unearthed one of the largest collections of painted Roman wall plaster ever found in London and painstakingly pieced the fragments together, they said Thursday. The plaster, which was discovered on a construction site in 2021, once decorated around 20 internal walls of a high-status early Roman (AD 43-150) building in Southwark, south of the River Thames, the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) said. The plaster was found dumped in a large pit, having been smashed into thousands of pieces during Roman demolition works that took place some time before AD 200. MOLA Senior Building Material Specialist Han Li has spent the last three months laying out the fragments and reconstructing the designs. "This has been a once in a lifetime moment, so I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness when I started to lay the plaster out," he explained. "Many of the fragments were very delicate and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so it was like assembling the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle. a "The result was seeing wall paintings that even individuals of the late Roman period in London would not have seen," he added. The reconstruction revealed bright yellow panel designs decorated with images of birds, fruit, flowers, and lyres not seen for 1800 years. Among the fragments is evidence of a painter's signature, although their name is not among the pieces, as well as unusual graffiti of the ancient Greek alphabet. Another fragment features the face of a crying woman with a Flavian period (AD 69-96) hairstyle.
Japan Today
19-06-2025
- General
- Japan Today
2,000-year-old Roman wall paintings unearthed in London
The reconstruction revealed bright yellow panel designs decorated with images of birds, fruit, flowers, and lyres not seen for 1800 years Archaeologists have unearthed one of the largest collections of painted Roman wall plaster ever found in London and painstakingly pieced the fragments together, they said Thursday. The plaster, which was discovered on a construction site in 2021, once decorated around 20 internal walls of a high-status early Roman (AD 43-150) building in Southwark, south of the River Thames, the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) said. The plaster was found dumped in a large pit, having been smashed into thousands of pieces during Roman demolition works that took place some time before AD 200. MOLA Senior Building Material Specialist Han Li has spent the last three months laying out the fragments and reconstructing the designs. "This has been a once in a lifetime moment, so I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness when I started to lay the plaster out," he explained. "Many of the fragments were very delicate and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so it was like assembling the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle. "The result was seeing wall paintings that even individuals of the late Roman period in London would not have seen," he added. The reconstruction revealed bright yellow panel designs decorated with images of birds, fruit, flowers, and lyres not seen for 1,800 years. Among the fragments is evidence of a painter's signature, although their name is not among the pieces, as well as unusual graffiti of the ancient Greek alphabet. Another fragment features the face of a crying woman with a Flavian period (AD 69-96) hairstyle. The construction site has already yielded mosaics and a rare Roman mausoleum. © 2025 AFP
North Wales Chronicle
19-06-2025
- General
- North Wales Chronicle
Archaeological ‘jigsaw' reveals 2,000-year-old Roman wall paintings
Archaeologists have spent four years working on thousands of fragments of shattered plaster discovered at a site in Southwark, near London Bridge station and Borough Market, in 2021 to painstakingly piece together the artwork of a high-status Roman building. It is believed the frescoes once decorated at least 20 internal walls between AD 40 and 150, before the building was demolished and the wall plaster dumped into a pit before the start of the third century. But now the reconstruction of the wall art has shed further light on high society in Roman Britain. The paintings – which display bright yellow panel designs with black intervals, decorated with beautiful images of birds, fruit, flowers, and lyres – demonstrate both the wealth and taste of the building's owners, according to the excavation team at the Museum of London Archaeology (Mola). Yellow panel designs were scarce in the Roman period, and repeating yellow panels found at the site in Southwark were even scarcer, making the discovery extremely rare. Among the fragments is rare evidence of a painter's signature – the first known example of this practice in Britain. Framed by a 'tabula ansata', a carving of a decorative tablet used to sign artwork in the Roman world, it contains the Latin word 'fecit' which translates to 'has made this'. But the fragment is broken where the painter's name would have appeared, meaning their identity will likely never be known. Unusual graffiti of the ancient Greek alphabet has also been reconstructed – the only example of this inscription found to date in Roman Britain. The precision of the scored letters suggests that it was done by a proficient writer and not someone undertaking writing practice. Some fragments imitate high-status wall tiles, such as red Egyptian porphyry – a crystal-speckled volcanic stone – framing the elaborate veins of African giallo antico – a yellow marble. Inspiration for the wall decorations was taken from other parts of the Roman world – such as Xanten and Cologne in Germany, and Lyon in France. It took three months for Mola senior building material specialist Han Li to lay out all the fragments and reconstruct the designs to their original place. He said: 'This has been a 'once-in-a-lifetime' moment, so I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness when I started to lay the plaster out. 'Many of the fragments were very delicate and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so it was like assembling the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle. 'I was lucky to have been helped by my colleagues in other specialist teams for helping me arrange this titanic puzzle as well as interpret ornaments and inscriptions – including Ian Betts and the British School at Rome – who gave me their invaluable opinions and resources. 'The result was seeing wall paintings that even individuals of the late Roman period in London would not have seen.' Speaking to the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, Mr Li said: 'When you are looking at thousands of fragments of wall paintings every day, you start to commit everything to memory. 'You are sometimes working when you are sleeping as well. 'There was one time that I thought that this fragment goes here, and I woke up and it actually happened – so you could say I was working a double shift. 'But it's a beautiful end result.' One fragment features the face of a crying woman with a Flavian period (AD 69-96) hairstyle, hinting at the time period it may have been created. Work to further explore each piece of plaster continues.
