Ancient Roman Mosaic Featuring Mysterious Oversized Flip-Flops Unearthed in Luxurious Sicilian Villa
So, picture this: buried under centuries of mud, in the steamy thermal baths of Sicily’s Villa Romana del Casale, a crisp, immaculate mosaic of ancient Roman sandals has been unearthed — and no, these aren’t your typical gladiator sandals. They look suspiciously like modern flip-flops, giving us some serious “time-traveling shoe game” vibes . How hilariously fitting is it that while their creators were probably worried about the fall of Rome, they immortalized everyday bathhouse footwear with such painstaking detail? This find, alongside other jaw-dropping mosaics featuring sporty “Bikini Girls” and wild hunts, paints a vivid picture of Roman life frozen in time — or mud, more accurately. It’s wild to think an ancient flood ended up playing the role of ultimate art conservator! Thanks to a global team of archaeology students, these treasures have stepped back into the spotlight, ready to tell their stories for centuries more. Ready to slip into this fascinating slice of history? LEARN MORE
Located in the thermal baths of the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, this mosaic was preserved almost completely intact after being covered in mud by an ancient flood.
Regione Siciliana/Parco Archeologico di Morgantina e Villa Romana del CasaleDating back to the fourth century C.E., the mosaic was uncovered in the southern baths of the villa.
An ancient mosaic depicting a pair of Roman sandals, similar to modern flip-flops, was revealed during a recent excavation at the Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.
This find is the latest in an array of artwork that has been uncovered at the site, which includes a depiction of several young women wearing bandeau tops and bikini bottoms that’s been dubbed the “Bikini Girls” mosaic. Another famous mosaic from the site features exotic animals being hunted.
Along with the newly-discovered sandals mosaic, archaeologists also just found three columns and their respective capitals. These finds were made with help from students as part of the University of Bologna’s ArchLabs Summer School initiative.
The Discovery Of The Ancient Roman Sandals Mosaic At Sicily’s Villa Romana Del Casale
Wikimedia CommonsBuilt in the early fourth century C.E., the Villa Romana del Casale contains some of the most famous mosaics from the days of ancient Rome.
The flip-flops mosaic was discovered in the southern baths of the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, according to a statement from the Parco Archeologico di Morgantina. It was located near other mosaics, including one piece featuring white writing on a red background (what was written is unclear).
The surrounding room was further decorated with colorful tiles, including the bathing pool itself, which had a band of mosaic tiles lining the top. However, the mosaic of the sandals was particularly notable for its detailed craftsmanship.
Both the sandals and the nearby inscription were small parts of a larger work, which clearly required great time and care to put together. The mosaics were likely created by a highly-skilled artist in the 4th century C.E., roughly 150 years before the fall of Rome.
The mosaic was uncovered thanks to the ArchLabs Summer School project, a field school bringing together 40 students from 11 different countries. The program is a collaboration between Parco Archeologico di Morgantina e Villa Romana del Casale, Università di Bologna, and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.
Wikimedia CommonsOne of the most famous pieces of art at the villa is known as the “Bikini Girls” mosaic.
Now, this sandal mosaic has joined a plethora of other works that have been found at the site. Perhaps the most famous piece of art that has been uncovered at the villa is the “Bikini Girls” mosaic, a work featuring nine women playing sports and wearing what appear to be bandeau tops and bikini bottoms.
Another famous piece from the villa is the “Great Hunt,” which depicts hunters catching numerous animals and moving them onto a ship for transport. All of these mosaics stayed well preserved thanks to an ancient flood that covered them in layers of mud, keeping them safe over the centuries.
The Prevalence Of Sandals In The Mosaics Of Ancient Rome
Wikimedia CommonsAnother famous mosaic from the site shows animals being hunted and transported.
The find was notable for the sandals’ resemblance to modern footwear, however this isn’t the first time that archaeologists have found mosaics from the days of ancient Rome that depict modern-looking flip-flops. It’s hardly unprecedented for archaeologists to find mosaics of sandals similar to this one in other Roman bath houses.
In fact, sandals were a common motif for mosaics in baths like the one at the Villa Romana del Casale. That’s because, as people do today in public showers or locker rooms, ancient Romans wore flip-flop-like sandals at bath houses.
Other mosaics of sandals have been found across the former Roman world. A bathhouse in Timgad, Algeria features a mosaic of Roman sandals with the inscription “bene lava,” meaning “wash well.”
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