More insights into the Rutland mosaic

Last week I and a regular reader both noticed online a report about the Rutland, or,  as it is now designated, the Ketton, mosaic from a substantial villa that was occupied in the third and fourth centuries. I have written about this important discovery beforehand in posts about the excavations to uncover the floor.

The new article followed the most recent research into the subjects depicted by the mosaic, which are scenes from the Trojan War. Initially these were assumed to be taken from The Iliad - and seen as an indication of the wider cultural interests of the villa owners. Further research has enhanced that argument by demonstrating that the scenes come not directly from Homer but rather from a now lost play by Aeschylus entitled Phrygians.

Quite apart from revealing more about life in the Welland valley in the third and fourth centuries the mosaic points out the fact that Britannia was a Province fully integrated into the Roman world and sharing in Classical culture. 

The original article from The Independent can be seen at Archaeologists unlock secrets of ‘remarkable’ Rutland mosaic

A second report in Archaeology has a colour illustration of the floor and the link to the original account in Britannia and is accessible via Archaeology Magazine (@archaeologymag)