"It seems that the Virgin of Fatima has appeared, there is tremendous expectation." In Mérida they don't talk about anything else these days. And that, in reality, the people of Mérida are used to the fact that Roman remains appear in practically every work carried out in the city. However,
the new archaeological find discovered in the heart of the city
(a polychrome mosaic with geometric motifs dated between the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th century AD) when routine works were being carried out to install the gas is generating an unusual expectation and there are hundreds the neighbors those who come to Benito Toresano street to appreciate this new great treasure up close.
So do
the first tourists who, after the end of the State of Alarm
, begin to arrive in this city declared a World Heritage Site. Even
players from various football teams
(in Extremadura the play-off for promotion to the Second Division will be played this weekend) have taken the opportunity to visit the great attraction.
It is enough to enter the street where it has appeared to find it under a large ditch. It is a geometric mosaic that can be seen in all its splendor in broad daylight and which, according to experts, is in a good state of preservation. "What was discovered is a small section of the
mosaic, polychrome, with representations of geometric motifs
and that would be part of a domestic room", said Félix Palma, director of the Consortium of the Monumental City of Mérida. It is, in particular, a piece decorated with geometric motifs that at some points appears cut by old connections.
The discovery has not surprised archaeologists either. The area near the Roman Theater where it has been discovered has left no room for doubt. The problem, as almost always in Mérida, is what to do from now on after the discovery. As the rest of the mosaic will surely continue through areas of private property, the homes of the people of Mérida,
first of all the design of the gas works will have to be changed
, as has happened with any type of works in this city for decades.
For the moment, the installation work for the gas conduction pipes will focus on the other part of the street, looking for old, used trenches to continue with the installation: "We will not be able to get into pavements and private homes , but
we are going to guarantee the preservation of what was found and it will be where it should be
, forming part of this ancient Roman house, "says Palma.
At the moment, the excavation area has been expanded in order to carry out its exhaustive archaeological documentation because the complete piece continues under the pavement and current houses, so it is impossible to document it in its entirety these days.
For this reason,
the mosaic will remain within its original context
, as the pavement of a possible Roman house in this area.
A CITY MUSEUM
The mayor of the capital of Extremadura, Antonio Rodríguez Osuna, in statements to EL MUNDO, assures that "
this finding is one more example of the historical, artistic and patrimonial importance of the city of Mérida
" while recalling that "our historical complex was declared by Unesco World Heritage for its state of conservation and protection. Proof of this - he continues - are the continuous excavations that are carried out in the autonomous capital and which result in the constant musealisation of new heritage spaces ".
The mayor proudly shows a city that "it
is an archaeological mine that is alive
; the finds are dated, most of them are preserved and made available to the public thanks to the work of the Consortium of the Monumental City." In this sense, he points out that the data show that "this city is the best destination to verify the historical and artistic greatness of the ancient Roman Empire. Our commitment continues to be to value each finding of interest and especially the work of dissemination and research of each rest that we carry out together with the competent organisms ".
For the mayor, the appearance of these remains, "and many others that the subsoil of Mérida constantly gives us, position us as a benchmark in the conservation of the historical heritage of this country in a city that has
more than 2,000 years of history.
".
MOSAICS
Mosaics were used in Roman times both as decoration for floors and to cover walls and ceilings.
In general,
the tendency of these works was to adapt the mosaic theme to the destination of the room
.
Thus, in the hot springs fish, river scenes were represented;
in the hall of the house the guard dog;
in the triclinium (the dining room), reasons related to the banquet.
Some of the most important mosaics found in Mérida are in the
National Museum of Roman Art
, the building designed by Moneo.
These mosaics deal with mythological themes, chariot races, geometric figures, etc.
STORY
The city of Augusta Emerita was founded by mandate of the emperor
Octavio Augusto in the year 25 a.
C.
, in order to host the soldiers of the Cantabrian wars, veterans of the V Alaudae and X Gemina legions.
From the beginning, it was a city where the construction of buildings for public shows (Theater, Amphitheater and Circus) was chosen, as well as forums, temples, hot springs, reservoirs and other buildings that were gradually integrated into the city, with the houses. and public squares.
In 1993, Mérida was declared a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO
, this being a recognition of its tourist projection, one of its economic engines.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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