Artistic Lysons? New work on the ‘lost’ mosaics of Frampton Roman villa, Dorset

Authors: Russell, M., Stewart, D., Cheetham, P. and Manley, H.

Journal: MOSAIC

Volume: 49

Pages: 19-31

Abstract:

In 1796, the antiquary Samuel Lysons (1763-1819) oversaw the clearance of a series of figured mosaics on a site at Nunnery Mead in Dorset. The floors, considered to be among the richest produced in Roman Britain, were recorded in considerable detail and left open, before the site was abandoned late in 1797. Although Lysons published the results of investigations at Frampton, questions regarding the structural form, extent, chronology and sequence of the buildings revealed, remained unanswered. The ultimate fate of the mosaics themselves was unclear, although it was assumed they had been destroyed. Recent work, however, has shown that not only do significant areas of floor survive, but also that evidence exists to help interpret both the form of the Roman building and the nature of backfill and consolidation following Lysons’ work.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/38358/

Source: Manual