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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/13/incredibly-rare-roman-tomb-unearthed-near-london-bridge-station>
"The remains of a Roman mausoleum “with an astonishing level of preservation” –
believed to be the most intact structure of its kind discovered in Britain –
have been unearthed in London.
The “incredibly rare” find has been excavated at the The Liberty of Southwark
development site, a stone’s throw from Borough Market and London Bridge
station, the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) has revealed.
The excavation of the tomb follows the discovery in February last year of some
of the largest Roman mosaics found in London in more than 50 years on the same
site. The find includes the walls and interior floors. At its centre is a
striking mosaic surrounded by a raised platform on which the burials were
placed. The lowest entrance steps also survive.
The level of preservation of the interior makes this the most intact Roman
mausoleum ever to be discovered in Britain, according to MOLA, which led the
archeological investigations on behalf of Landsec and Transport for London
(TfL) which own the site, and Southwark council.
There are plans for the future public display of the mausoleum, which underwent
significant modifications. A second mosaic directly beneath the first indicates
it was raised during its lifetime. The two mosaics are similar, with a central
flower surrounded by concentric circles.
Although the tomb was almost completely dismantled, probably during the
medieval period, the signs are it was a substantial building, perhaps two
storeys high, and would have been used by wealthier Romans, possibly as a
family tomb."
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*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
