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| Huge archaeological puzzle reveals Roman London frescoes | Huge archaeological puzzle reveals Roman London frescoes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Watch: the fine art of an exquisite 2,000 year-old Roman jigsaw | Watch: the fine art of an exquisite 2,000 year-old Roman jigsaw |
| Archaeologists have pieced together thousands of fragments of 2,000-year-old wall plaster to reveal remarkable frescoes that decorated a luxurious Roman villa. | Archaeologists have pieced together thousands of fragments of 2,000-year-old wall plaster to reveal remarkable frescoes that decorated a luxurious Roman villa. |
| The shattered plaster was discovered in 2021 at a site in central London that's being redeveloped, but it's taken until now to reconstruct this colossal jigsaw puzzle. | |
| The frescoes are from at least 20 walls of the building, with beautifully painted details of musical instruments, birds, flowers and fruit. | The frescoes are from at least 20 walls of the building, with beautifully painted details of musical instruments, birds, flowers and fruit. |
| The art is revealing more about the affluence of the area where they were found - described by the team as the "Beverly Hills of Roman London". | The art is revealing more about the affluence of the area where they were found - described by the team as the "Beverly Hills of Roman London". |
| This fresco covered one wall of the villa - there are at least 19 others | This fresco covered one wall of the villa - there are at least 19 others |
| There are also clues about who the artists were: one fragment is scored with the Latin word Fecit, which means "has made this" - but the piece where the name should be is missing. | There are also clues about who the artists were: one fragment is scored with the Latin word Fecit, which means "has made this" - but the piece where the name should be is missing. |
| The Museum of London Archaeology (Mola) team still hope the vital piece will be found as they sift through the fragments. | The Museum of London Archaeology (Mola) team still hope the vital piece will be found as they sift through the fragments. |
| "It's one of the biggest - if not the biggest - assemblages of Roman wall plaster and paintings we've ever found in Roman London," said Han Li from Mola. | "It's one of the biggest - if not the biggest - assemblages of Roman wall plaster and paintings we've ever found in Roman London," said Han Li from Mola. |
| The art shows local plants such as mistletoe | The art shows local plants such as mistletoe |
| The largest of the frescoes, measuring about 5m by 3m, has a lower section of pale pink, dotted with specks of paint to imitate marble. Above are rich yellow panels with soft green borders. | The largest of the frescoes, measuring about 5m by 3m, has a lower section of pale pink, dotted with specks of paint to imitate marble. Above are rich yellow panels with soft green borders. |
| The wall paintings are adorned with candelabras, stringed instruments called lyres, white cranes and a delicate daisy. | The wall paintings are adorned with candelabras, stringed instruments called lyres, white cranes and a delicate daisy. |
| There's also what appears to be a bunch of grapes, but archaeobotanists believe that this is a plant that grows locally - mistletoe. | There's also what appears to be a bunch of grapes, but archaeobotanists believe that this is a plant that grows locally - mistletoe. |
| "That is actually quite interesting for me, because you're seeing that the Roman painters are taking a classical idea and they're very much putting their own North West European, or local, twist on it. I think that's magnificent," says Han Li. | "That is actually quite interesting for me, because you're seeing that the Roman painters are taking a classical idea and they're very much putting their own North West European, or local, twist on it. I think that's magnificent," says Han Li. |
| A small section of the fresco is made up of many fragments | A small section of the fresco is made up of many fragments |
| He spent many months with the jumble of plaster, meticulously examining each piece to put together what he describes as "the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle". | He spent many months with the jumble of plaster, meticulously examining each piece to put together what he describes as "the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle". |
| The fragility of the ancient fragments made this even more of a challenge. | The fragility of the ancient fragments made this even more of a challenge. |
| "You have to be very careful because you can only assemble the pieces a small number of times before the plaster starts to be damaged and it flakes off," he said. | "You have to be very careful because you can only assemble the pieces a small number of times before the plaster starts to be damaged and it flakes off," he said. |
| "So you have to be quite sure before you join the pieces that this is the piece that may fit." | "So you have to be quite sure before you join the pieces that this is the piece that may fit." |
| FECIT is scored into the plaster which means "has made this" | FECIT is scored into the plaster which means "has made this" |
| The Romans founded London in AD43, and the villa was built soon after, dating to the first or second century when the new city was growing rapidly. | The Romans founded London in AD43, and the villa was built soon after, dating to the first or second century when the new city was growing rapidly. |
| The archaeologists think this grand building may have been home to a wealthy family or a hotel for rich travellers passing through Londinium. | The archaeologists think this grand building may have been home to a wealthy family or a hotel for rich travellers passing through Londinium. |
| They've been comparing the frescoes to others found across Britain and Europe, and they believe they were created by a group of highly skilled painters who travelled the Roman empire. | They've been comparing the frescoes to others found across Britain and Europe, and they believe they were created by a group of highly skilled painters who travelled the Roman empire. |
| "They've come to Roman London where there was a building boom, with many houses and many buildings going up that required painting. And they went around essentially taking on huge commissions of work," said Han Li. | "They've come to Roman London where there was a building boom, with many houses and many buildings going up that required painting. And they went around essentially taking on huge commissions of work," said Han Li. |
| "It's amazing to imagine that their work is now again visible to us 2,000 years later." | "It's amazing to imagine that their work is now again visible to us 2,000 years later." |
| The artists' exact identity however will remain elusive until the missing fragment bearing their names is found. | The artists' exact identity however will remain elusive until the missing fragment bearing their names is found. |
| Archaeologist Han Li spent months assembling the fragments | Archaeologist Han Li spent months assembling the fragments |
| The plaster was found in Southwark, just south of the Thames. A stunning mosaic and Roman cemetery were also unearthed at the site, which was being excavated in preparation for a new development. | The plaster was found in Southwark, just south of the Thames. A stunning mosaic and Roman cemetery were also unearthed at the site, which was being excavated in preparation for a new development. |
| This location, outside of the central hub of Roman London, is also revealing more about how the city was spreading out. | This location, outside of the central hub of Roman London, is also revealing more about how the city was spreading out. |
| "There was this thriving, bustling settlement quite early on in the Roman period, and it's almost the kind of wealthy suburb - the Beverly Hills of Roman London," said Andrew Henderson-Schwartz from Mola. | "There was this thriving, bustling settlement quite early on in the Roman period, and it's almost the kind of wealthy suburb - the Beverly Hills of Roman London," said Andrew Henderson-Schwartz from Mola. |
| "And what this shows is that the Romans are committing to London. They're investing in London, and they're seeing it as a place to settle in, a place to stay. It's not just a kind of provincial outpost." | "And what this shows is that the Romans are committing to London. They're investing in London, and they're seeing it as a place to settle in, a place to stay. It's not just a kind of provincial outpost." |
| There's still much to discover from the fresco fragments, helping archaeologists reconstruct the story of the UK's rich Roman history. | There's still much to discover from the fresco fragments, helping archaeologists reconstruct the story of the UK's rich Roman history. |
| Some masonry found at the site showing it was made in London | Some masonry found at the site showing it was made in London |
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