University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) in partnership with BBC Radio Leicester are putting on public display for the first time, the newly conserved ‘Stibbe’ Roman mosaic.

The public can view the mosaics at BBC Radio Leicester between 16 – 27 July 2018, Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.

In 2017, thousands of people queued for hours to see the Roman mosaics being excavated at the old Stibbe factory between Highcross Street and Great Central Street in Leicester.

The excavation unearthed major new evidence of Roman Leicester including one of the largest and finest pieces of mosaic to be discovered in the city for over 150 years.

This was found within the remains of a large Roman townhouse which once fronted onto a main street leading through the town. Many of its rooms still contained evidence for ornate decoration including painted walls and mosaic floors. One room, probably a principal reception room, had a mosaic floor of outstanding quality.

Decorated with complex geometric patterns, it is one of the finest mosaics yet found in Leicester, showing quality and workmanship comparable to the Blackfriars and Peacock pavements which were found in the town in the 19th century.

The mosaic pavement was extensively truncated by medieval pits and a 1950s cellar but enough survives for us to reconstruct a surface which originally would have stretched 10m in length and 6m in width. As part of the project, a team of conservators carefully lifted and conserved the mosaic in preparation for it being put on public display.

свернуть