Archaeology experts have successfully reconstructed elaborate Roman wall paintings from thousands of plaster fragments discovered in Southwark, revealing artwork unseen for over 1,800 years.
The shattered pieces, initially found in a large pit during excavations, have been painstakingly assembled over three months to expose frescoes that once covered approximately 20 interior walls of a Roman villa.
Archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) restored paintings that display intricate depictions of fruit, flowers, birds, candelabras and period-appropriate stringed instruments, offering a rare glimpse into the decorative tastes of affluent Roman Londoners around 200 AD.
Han Li, senior building material specialist at MOLA, undertook the meticulous task of arranging the delicate fragments to restore the massive artwork.
Han Li undertook the task of arranging the delicate fragments
MOLA
Li said: “This has been a ‘once in a lifetime’ moment, so I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness when I started to lay the plaster out.”
According to MOLA: “Many of the fragments were very delicate and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so it was like assembling the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle.”
The villa stood in what MOLA researchers have characterised as the “Beverly Hills” of Roman Britain, an area of considerable wealth and status in ancient Londinium.
One fragment depicts a weeping woman sporting a hairstyle characteristic of the Flavian period (69-96 AD), providing valuable dating evidence for the artwork.
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Some of the fragments uncovered mimic prestigious wall tiles such as red Egyptian porphyry and African giallo antico marble.
These decorative styles have parallels in Roman sites across Londinium, Colchester, Germany and Pompeii, suggesting the villa’s owners had cosmopolitan tastes and considerable resources.
Among the discoveries, archaeologists found a “tabula ansata” – a decorative tablet carving – marked with the Latin word “fecit,” meaning “has made this.”
The accompanying fragment bearing the artist’s name is unfortunately missing, leaving their identity a mystery.
Multiple discoveries have been made at The Liberty site in London’s Southwark district
MOLA
The team also uncovered an etching of a nearly complete Greek alphabet, expertly inscribed by what MOLA describes as a “proficient writer.”
This represents the sole known example from Roman Britain, though similar inscriptions exist in Italy.
The Southwark site, currently being redeveloped as The Liberty of Southwark, has yielded other significant finds, including well-preserved floor mosaics in 2022 and a rare Roman mausoleum in 2023.
