Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – Researchers have provided new insights into the Ketton mosaic in Rutland, hailed as one of the most significant Roman mosaics found in the UK.
Their findings reveal that, contrary to earlier beliefs, the mosaic does not depict scenes from Homer’s Iliad. Instead, it illustrates an alternative version of the Trojan War story originally popularized by Greek playwright Aeschylus—a narrative that has largely been lost over time.
Panel 3 of the Ketton Mosaic shows Priam, king of Troy, loading a set of scales with gold vessels, to match the weight of his son, Hector. This version of the story is based on the lost play, Phrygians by Aeschylus. Jen Browning from University of Leicester Archaeological Services was able to reconstruct the burnt section by tracing the outline of the tiles. (©ULAS).
The mosaic features a blend of artistic motifs and designs that were widespread throughout the ancient Mediterranean for centuries. This evidence suggests that Roman Britain’s craftsmen were more culturally connected to broader classical traditions than previously thought.
A first-century silver jug from Roman Gaul had already used same design as used in Panel 1. On the left, Achilles is sitting by his shield, surrounded by his guards. In the middle is Hector’s body in a huge set of scales, centred around a human face. At the right, king Priam in his distinctive hat and robe loads the scales with gold vessels, while his bodyguards look on. Credit: Nineteenth-century line drawing of Berthouville Treasure, now in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
The study conducted by a science team from the University of Leicester reveals that the Ketton mosaic illustrates the long-lost story of Troy, highlighting connections between Roman Britain and the ancient classical world. Discovered in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown by local resident Jim Irvine, the mosaic prompted a significant excavation led by University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) with support from Historic England. Due to its outstanding national significance, both the mosaic and its surrounding villa complex have been designated as a Scheduled Monument.
Historic England and ULAS carried out collaborative excavations at the site in 2021 and 2022. The two organizations are now working together to publish their findings. The mosaic itself features three dramatic scenes from Greek mythology: Achilles’ duel with Hector, Achilles dragging Hector’s body, and King Priam ransoming his son’s body, depicted as being weighed for gold.
The Trojan War, most famously depicted in Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, is a mythological ten-year conflict waged by Greek forces against the city of Troy, ruled by King Priam, with the aim of reclaiming Helen of Sparta. Recent analysis indicates that a particular mosaic previously thought to be inspired by Homer’s Iliad actually draws from Phrygians, a lesser-known tragedy written by the Athenian playwright Aeschylus. While there are several retellings of the Trojan War familiar to Romans, it appears that the owner of the Ketton villa chose to display this more obscure version for its unique prestige. Additionally, research shows that the mosaic’s design skillfully incorporates artistic patterns traditionally used by craftspeople throughout the ancient Mediterranean region.
Panel 2 of the Ketton Mosaic shows Achilles dragging the body of Hector behind his chariot, while Hector’s father Priam begs him for mercy. Credit: ULAS
The Trojan War, most famously depicted in Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, is a mythological ten-year conflict waged by Greek forces against the city of Troy, ruled by King Priam, with the aim of reclaiming Helen of Sparta. Recent analysis indicates that a particular mosaic previously thought to be inspired by Homer’s Iliad actually draws from Phrygians, a lesser-known tragedy written by the Athenian playwright Aeschylus.
While there are several retellings of the Trojan War familiar to Romans, it appears that the owner of the Ketton villa chose to display this more obscure version for its unique prestige. Additionally, research shows that the mosaic’s design skillfully incorporates artistic patterns traditionally used by craftspeople throughout the ancient Mediterranean region.
“In the Ketton Mosaic, not only have we got scenes telling the Aeschylus version of the story, but the top panel is actually based on a design used on a Greek pot that dates from the time of Aeschylus, 800 years before the mosaic was laid. Once I’d noticed the use of standard patterns in one panel, I found other parts of the mosaic were based on designs that we can see in much older silverware, coins and pottery, from Greece, Turkey, and Gaul.
A Greek vase from ancient Athens uses the same design 800 years before the Ketton mosaic: the waving figure, shield, chariot group, running figure with arms out and even the snake curled beneath the horses all come from the same schematic. Credit: Boston 63.473 MFA Boston
Romano-British craftspeople weren’t isolated from the rest of the ancient world, but were part of this wider network of trades passing their pattern catalogues down the generations. At Ketton, we’ve got Roman British craftsmanship but a Mediterranean heritage of design, ” Dr Jane Masséglia, lead author of this new research and Associate Professor in Ancient History at the University of Leicester, said in a press release.
“Jane’s detailed research into the Rutland mosaic imagery reveals a level of cultural integration across the Roman world that we’re only just beginning to appreciate. It’s a fascinating and important development that suggests Roman Britain may have been far more cosmopolitan than we often imagine. The new paper is a suspenseful and thrilling narrative in its own right which deserves recognition,” Rachel Cubitt, Post-Excavation Coordinator at Historic England, said.
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Hella Eckhardt, Professor of Roman Archaeology at the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study, said: “This is an exciting piece of research, untangling the ways in which the stories of the Greek heroes Achilles and Hector were transmitted not just through texts but through a repertoire of images created by artists working in all sorts of materials, from pottery and silverware to paintings and mosaics.”
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
