Difference between revisions of "Woodchester Roman Villa"
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Latest revision as of 23:42, 14 November 2019
Woodchester Roman Villa is the site of a Roman villa which stood on a site in what is now Woodchester near Stroud in Gloucestershire. It is an important archaeological site.
This is one of many Roman villas discovered in Gloucestershire. It was occupied between the early 2nd and late 4th centuries AD. There is now nothing visible of the villa above ground and the site is occupied by a later churchyard.
The villa's most famous feature is the Orpheus mosaic, the second largest of its kind in Europe and one of the most intricate. It dates to c. AD 325 and was re-discovered by Gloucestershire-born antiquarian Samuel Lysons in 1793. The mosaic has been uncovered seven times since 1880, the last time in 1973, but there are no plans to reveal it again. It depicts Orpheus charming all forms of life with his lyre and has been praised for its accuracy and beauty.
A replica mosaic, made of more than one-and-a-half million pieces of stone, was created by brothers John and Bob Woodward, who were inspired after seeing the original pavement. The replica was displayed at Prinknash Abbey in Gloucester before being auctioned in June 2010 for £75,000.[1]
Outside links
- Location map: 51°43’36"N, 2°14’1"W
- The Romans at Woodchester
References
- ↑ "Replica mosaic sells for £75,000". 24 June 2010. https://www.bbc.com/news/10402944. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
