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Roman Village, Domus and Elaborate Mosaic Floor Unearthed in Sicily
Archaeologists have unearthed something special near Vizzini, a town in Sicily, in the form of a Roman domus, or house, dating back to the 2nd-4th centuries AD. The ancient Roman dwelling possesses an intricately designed mosaic floor, and is part of a larger settlement nestled nearly 500 meters (1640 feet) above sea level on the southeastern edge of Sicily. The settlement is part of a Roman village that spread over 37 acres (15 hectares), in a region which experienced a rapid transformation during Roman rule.
This find came from a multi-year excavation project in the area, led by archaeologists from the University of Göttingen. Spearheading the effort is Prof. Dr. Johannes Bergemann, Chair of Classical Archaeology and Head of the Archaeological Institute at the university, according to a press release.
Roman mosaic floor. (Johann Bergemann/Georg-August University of Göttingen)
A New Settlement System: Exploring Vizzini
“This new settlement system, connected to inland regions via arterial roads, flourished for only a few centuries,” Bergemann explained. “The house we discovered near Vizzini is a crucial piece of evidence from this transformative period in Sicily's history.”
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