Archaeologists uncovered what remains of a Roman villa and bath house earlier in March, under land designated for an Aldi supermarket.
Oxford Archaeology made the discovery while working for development group Angle Property, which owns the land in Olney, Buckinghamshire, the BBC reported. During the course of preparing the area for the construction of the supermarket, archaeologists uncovered intricate, colorful mosaic tiles through the extensive site.
The dig was initially commissioned due to the location’s proximity to an existing Roman archaeological site nearly Olney, the BBC reported. Images of the discovery were shared on social media, revealing the brightly colored red, white and blue tiles.
Remains of #Roman villa uncovered at #Aldi supermarket site in Olney, #Buckinghamshire.https://t.co/eUWZCqnfgx#RomanBritain #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #FindsFriday pic.twitter.com/XTsj5kvZyl
— Roman Britain News (@Roman_Britain) March 17, 2023
Researchers believe a majority of the ancient complex goes under local roadways, so a full investigation cannot be conducted at the time, the BBC continued. The mosaic and other details from the site will remain preserved in the location of the discovery, and construction is expected to continue on the Aldi supermarket without disturbing the find. (RELATED: Mayan ‘Superhighways’ Suggest We Need To Rethink How Advanced Our Ancestors Really Were)
“Due to the site location we anticipated some notable Roman remains, but the discovery of this fantastic mosaic far exceeded those expectations,” Oxford Archaeology senior project manager John Boothroyd told the BBC. “To be able to preserve remains of this quality and importance is a brilliant outcome, and one that could only have been achieved with the support of Angle Property.”
The discovery comes days after archaeologists discovered an ancient Roman shrine near Leicester Cathedral and the remains of an ancient Roman aristocrat were unearthed near Leeds.