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Detailed mosaic floor — with Medusa's face — unearthed in ancient Roman villa
Miami Herald ^ | July 27, 2023 | Moira Ritter

Posted on 07/30/2023 8:10:39 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Archaeologists in Spain recently made an "excepcional" — which translates to exceptional— discovery: an ancient Roman mosaic floor that includes a depiction of Medusa's head.

The intricate mosaic was unearthed during excavations at the La Huerta de Otero archaeological zone, the Mérida City Hall said in a July 26 news release. It was found in what was the main room of a Roman family's sprawling home.

Experts said the colorful, well-preserved mosaic centers around Medusa's head, which is surrounded by an octagonal medallion. Four peacocks representing each of the four seasons are within hexagons in the medallion's corners.

This image is framed by a large square full of floral and animal motifs, specifically birds and fish, city officials said.

Medusa — who is the most famous monster or Gorgon in Greek mythology, according to Britannica — served as a protection for the home's inhabitants, experts said.

Students from the Barraeca II Professional School of the City Council began work at the site in September, officials said.

The mosaic was discovered in Mérida, which was formerly the Roman town of Augusta Emerita, according Britannica. Augusta Emerita was founded in 25 B.C., and it quickly became one of the most important and powerful towns on the Iberian peninsula during the Roman empire.

Mérida is about 210 miles southwest of Madrid.

(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: augustaemerita; godsgravesglyphs; medusa; merida; mosaic; romanempire; spain
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Excavations of the site began in September, the city said.
Ayuntamiento de Mérida
Ayuntamiento de Mérida

1 posted on 07/30/2023 8:10:39 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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The rest of the Medusa keyword, sorted, a little editing:

2 posted on 07/30/2023 8:12:19 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

3 posted on 07/30/2023 8:12:43 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Still got some color, beautiful. And don’t forget, the Medusans were about the best navigators in the universe as their ambassador got the Enterprise out of a real mess, when it was completely lost.


4 posted on 07/30/2023 8:16:16 AM PDT by BobL (Trump has all the right Enemies; DeSantis has all the wrong Friends)
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To: BobL

Yeah, definitely want to be wearing the Wayfarers when they’re around.


5 posted on 07/30/2023 8:18:08 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I thought the person looking at her, not the Medusa, was supposed to turn to stone!


6 posted on 07/30/2023 8:18:22 AM PDT by Stosh
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https://helenmilesmosaics.org/ancient-mosaics-general/mosaic-medusa-heads/


7 posted on 07/30/2023 8:19:05 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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https://search.brave.com/search?q=medusa+mosaics&source=desktop


8 posted on 07/30/2023 8:19:19 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Stosh

lol

This is the only way Medusa cuuld get laid.

[crickets]

There’s got to be a tesserae joke out there somewhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEeKZN4zqkU


9 posted on 07/30/2023 8:24:12 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Stosh

It was certainly a mean trick putting Medusa’s face on the floor, I bet there were a lot of ‘statues’ in that room.


10 posted on 07/30/2023 8:26:41 AM PDT by Doctor Congo
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To: SunkenCiv

She apparently had a nice figure.

They had bags back 2500 years ago, too.


11 posted on 07/30/2023 8:29:47 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: Jewbacca; Lazamataz

Laz would. He’d be hard as a rock.


12 posted on 07/30/2023 8:41:33 AM PDT by null and void (Intelligence has limits, while gullibility doesn't. ~ SunkenCiv)
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To: SunkenCiv

It’s Nancy Pelosi! It’s Nancy Pelosi! Run! Run!


13 posted on 07/30/2023 8:46:01 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
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To: null and void; Jewbacca

LOL


14 posted on 07/30/2023 9:00:05 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv
"Archaeologists in Spain recently made an "excepcional" — which translates to exceptional...

Thank God for the translator. I'd have never figured that one out...

15 posted on 07/30/2023 9:03:09 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack
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To: Joe 6-pack

Heh, I just *had* to leave that one in.


16 posted on 07/30/2023 9:06:07 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

No mention of the fact that Medusa was slain by Perseus who was an ,”héroe,” which translated to, “hero.”


17 posted on 07/30/2023 9:10:02 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack
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To: SunkenCiv

“Yeah, definitely want to be wearing the Wayfarers when they’re around.”

Absolutely, or you go mad looking at the Medusan.


18 posted on 07/30/2023 9:10:23 AM PDT by BobL (Trump has all the right Enemies; DeSantis has all the wrong Friends)
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To: blueunicorn6

I think it’s a tie between Nancy, and Hillary for who looks the most like Medusa.


19 posted on 07/30/2023 9:12:27 AM PDT by EvilCapitalist (81 million votes my ass.)
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To: EvilCapitalist

No Mad Maxine?


20 posted on 07/30/2023 9:16:44 AM PDT by null and void (Intelligence has limits, while gullibility doesn't. ~ SunkenCiv)
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