Shock discovery of stunning Roman mosaic discovered on building site near London's Shard

One of the largest preserved mosaics discovered in London for over 50 years is giving archaeologists a glimpse into London's Roman history.  

The 2,000 year old mosaic is beautifully designed with a mix of white and black terrazzo and intricate colourful geometric flowers.

The style of the mosaics suggest that it was once used as an entertainment space for wealthy families, according to Antonietta Lerz, of the Museum of London Archaeology (Mola).

A month ago the mosaics were discovered by a team of archaeologists from Mola at a site located near the Shard, whilst they were preparing the site for a new development of homes, shops and offices. 

The mosaic will be excavated later this year, according to Henrietta Nowne from property development company U+I.

"The short term plan is to display it locally in Southwark, and in the future we would love to bring it to part of this site in a way that’s more interactive," she said.

Speaking to archaeology website Heritage Daily, leading expert in mosaics and former archaeologist Dr David Neal, has attributed the mosaic to the ‘Acanthus group’.

The smaller panel is simpler in design, with Solomon’s knots, two stylised flowers and geometric motifs in red, white and black.

"The arrangement of the mosaics suggests that Romans would have had their coaches arranged around the smaller mosaic looking down towards the larger mosaic where there would have been some evening entertainment," said Antonietta Lerz, of the Museum of London Archaeology.

An almost identical design on the smaller panel has been found in Trier, Germany, which suggests that mosaic artists travelled across Europe in the 2nd century.