The discovery is being hailed as highly significant. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 HeritageDaily
An exceptionally well-preserved Roman neighborhood has been unearthed in south-eastern France.
Described by team leader Benjamin Clement as "undoubtedly the most exceptional excavation of a Roman site in 40 or 50 years", the settlement in Vienne, which was abandoned 2,000 years ago following a series of fires, has been unofficially referred to as 'little Pompeii'.
The site, which was discovered during preliminary work for new housing in Sainte-Colombe, covers over 7,000 square meters and features multiple buildings and exquisite, well-preserved mosaics.
One building, which has become known as the House of the Bacchanalia, has an intricate floor mosaic featuring satyrs ( half-man, half-goat ) and maenads ( female followers of the god of wine. )
A large public fountain decorated with a statue of Hercules has also been unearthed at the site.
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