The Discovery of a New Roman Villa and Unique Mosaic in Rutland

In August 2020, investigation of a cropmark identified by landowners resulted in the discovery of a spectacular figurative mosaic on land on the eastern side of Rutland. Following the notification of the Leicestershire and Rutland Historic and Natural Environment Team, a programme of investigation was initiated, and University of Leicester Archaeological Services were appointed to record the trench with support from Historic England. A follow-up programme of geophysical survey, trial trenching and test pitting was implemented to establish the extent, nature and date range of the archaeology, and to assess the risk to the remains from the current farming regime – providing information that would ultimately lead to the designation of the site as a Scheduled Monument.The work  has  established  the  presence  of  an  elaborate  villa  complex, encompassing eight buildings and a host of other structures, enclosed by a ditch system. The excavated areas produced evidence broadly dating it to mid-late third to the late fourth century AD, although there are hints of earlier activity. Unusually, the site has apparently survived as a substantially complete complex, encompassing the full range of buildings that would be expected in a Roman villa, in Britain and is therefore of national and regional significance. However, much of the archaeology was at a shallow depth and therefore potentially at risk from continued cultivation. The mosaic was within a probable dining room at the northern end of a large villa building with an apse, from where it would have been viewed. It depicts scenes from the story of the Trojan War cycle and, in particular, the conflict between Achilles and Hector at Troy. The legend is illustrated in three rectangular panels, each portraying a different act from the tragedy. The inspiration for the imagery is likely to have been taken from an illustrated codex, presumably provided by the proprietor of the villa, marking them out as a highly educated individual. The subject matter of the mosaic is unique in Britain and rare in the rest of the Roman Empire, and it has been described as the most important Roman mosaic to have been discovered in the last 100 years.