Incredibly rare Roman mosaic depicting a mythical chariot race for a Greek princess

Daily Mail ^ | 1 September 2019 | Harry Howard

[mairdie]

A Roman mosaic depicting a mythical chariot race has been fully uncovered in a Berkshire village - and it could be one of Britain's most exciting archaeological discoveries.

The 1,600-year-old mosaic, which was found in Boxford in 2017 but only fully uncovered recently, is one of only three of its kind in the world and is 'totally unknown' in Britain, experts said.

It depicts a chariot race involving Greek mythological figure Pelops, who is racing to win the hand of love interest Princess Hippodamia. ... The mosaic will now be covered over once more to protect it and to allow farming to continue.

[mairdie]

Surprising to me that expert archeologists weren't involved.

[mairdie]

PING to art/archeology

[Parley Baer]

Princess Hippodamia???

[mairdie]

Wikipedia:

Hippodamia's father, King Oenomaus of Pisa, was fearful of a prophecy that claimed he would be killed by his son-in-law. So when suitors arrived, he told them they could marry his daughter only if they defeated him in a chariot race, and if they lost, they would be executed. Eighteen suitors of Hippodamia had perished in this way, and Oenamaus had affixed their heads to the wooden columns of his palace. Pausanias was shown what was purported to be the last standing column in the late second century CE; the same author mentions that Pelops erected a monument in honor of all the suitors before himself, and enlists their names

[Flick Lives]

Looks like the mosaic was once inside of a home based on what looks like the remnants of a perimeter foundation.

[Moonman62]

It depicts a chariot race involving Greek mythological figure Pelops, who is racing to win the hand of love interest Princess Hippodamia.

...

It’s the Roman version of dogs playing poker, so they are going to cover it back up.

[yarddog]

Similar story of Atalanta and the Greek boy who wanted to win her by beating her in a foot race. If he won he got Atalanta for his wife. If he lost well that was the end for him.

Aphrodite gave him some golden apples which he would toss in front of her and being a girl she could not resist the gold.

He managed to beat her that way.

[chajin]

It’s the Roman version of dogs playing poker, so they are going to cover it back up.

Imagine in 4019 AD an archeological expedition of the ancient American civilization finding a mural of Dogs Playing Poker, which immediately becomes a Work of Art To Be Studied In Ancient Art Courses simply because, well, it's an ancient work of art...

[mairdie]

Better, a velvet Elvis. The cloth almost falling apart and meticulously restored.

[Vendome]

“It depicts a chariot race involving Greek mythological figure Pelops, who is racing to win the hand of love interest Princess Hippodamia.”

Why? Did she rule the buffet?

[SoCal Pubbie]

Doesn’t look like a mosaic to me. Looks like a bas-relief frieze.

[bgill]

But she had a great personality.

[bgill]

Neat find but I wouldn't want a mosaic in my living room of a bunch of guys in their whitey tighties.

The mosaic was found in a field in the village two years ago but was then re-covered with soil to allow farmers to use the field.

That's crazy. Pay the farmers NOT to use the field. No telling how much was destroyed in the rebury and dig up processes.

[hanamizu]

Doesn’t look like a mosaic to me. Looks like a bas-relief frieze.

---

Yeah, the picture above does, but in the story it’s definitely a mosaic. Maybe copyright issues prevented posting a picture from the Daily Mail.

[Tax-chick]

“Master of Horses.” Sounds like a useful lady.

[NativeSon]

Eighteen suitors of Hippodamia had perished...

Now that I have daughter, this doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

[dp0622]

Legend in my family tells of a very distant Roman ancestor who was referred to as “Rocco of Naples”.

I heard he was good with his hands.

They should check for his initials on it.

[mountainlion]

Doesn’t look like a mosaic to me. ....

A mosaic is made up of small pieces according to wikipedia. More fake news form england.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks mairdie. Good on 'em to rescue it. Mosaic floors were somewhat common in Britain, but generally the maintenance level fell off for some reason after the Romans left Britain. Some of the ruined villas wound up as barns. The mosaic floors then wound up buried not very deeply by decayed wood, disintegrated plaster, ash, and whatnot, then were destroyed by centuries of the plow.

[SunkenCiv]

images search:

http://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7416473/Rare-Roman-mosaic-depicting-mythical-chariot-race-Greek-princess-uncovered-Berkshire-village.html&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&tbm=isch