A team of archaeologists from OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH and the University of Salzburg discovered three exceptionally well-preserved Roman mosaics during the excavations of a building complex of more than one thousand square meters near the site of the ancient Roman city of Ovilava, present-day Wels in Austria.
The excavation, which began in 2023, has revealed numerous structures of an extensive villa that, due to the richness and refinement of its decorative elements, is attributed to a wealthy family from the imperial period.
The archaeological complex is situated in a strategic and privileged location, bearing witness to the deep Romanization of a territory that today forms part of the federal state of Upper Austria.
Within this residential structure, three mosaic floors were found that are remarkable for their technical quality and artistic value, among which a scene with dolphins stands out, constituting one of the few figurative compositions of this type documented to date in the region.
In addition to the dolphin mosaic, two others have been found: one that depicts a krater, a large vessel with curved handles used for mixing wine, which is crafted with a refined ornamental line; and another that features a geometric pattern with a symmetrical design. These findings reinforce the hypothesis that we are looking at a residential building, possibly an urban villa, which served as a manifestation of the social status of its inhabitants, explain the archaeologists.
According to the regional authorities, the uniqueness of these mosaics, both because of their state of preservation and the iconographic nature of the depicted scenes, places this excavation in a prominent position within the regional archaeological landscape. Although in recent years significant discoveries have been made in different parts of the country, this finding in Thalheim bei Wels stands out for combining artistic quality, architectural context, and scientific potential.
The research team will continue excavation work until June 6, and they plan to incorporate the discovered mosaics into the archaeology exhibition at the Schlossmuseum Linz, which is currently undergoing renovation.
The public will have the opportunity to view the mosaics on June 10, during an open house that will begin at 1:00 p.m. The archaeological site will be open for tours, allowing visitors to observe in situ both the structural remains and the recently unearthed mosaics.
With this discovery, Thalheim bei Wels joins the map of key Roman archaeological sites in the Alpine North, and the dolphin motif, which is uncommon outside the Mediterranean context, raises interesting questions about the artistic and symbolic connections between the northern provinces of the Empire and the artistic production centers of the South.
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