Among the Friulian plains, where the light slowly changes color above the ruins, Aquileia continues to reveal the depth of its history. Here the past is never definitively buried: it resurfaces, intact, when the present opens up new construction sites. One of the most refined mosaic floors of the old city has come to light in recent days, a few meters from the Roman Forum: the famous mosaic of the “flower carpet”. The revival took place in the garden of the former carabinieri barracks in via Leicht, recently acquired by the Aquileia Foundation, during the preparatory work for the renovation of the building, which will become a campus guest house with 24 beds for students, teachers and scientists engaged in excavations and research on site. The large mosaic, which covers approximately 76 square meters, is characterized by a central panel decorated with a floral composition of extraordinary elegance, made with polychrome tiles that create an almost textile effect. It was first discovered between 1962 and 1963 during the research led by Luisa Bertacchi, during the construction of the barracks. The exceptional nature of the discovery subsequently forced the building to be moved back from the original project. At the end of the excavations, the floor was covered and remained protected for more than sixty years. The recent rediscovery has produced a mosaic surface in surprising conditions, opening new perspectives for interpretation. The director of the Aquileia Foundation, Cristiano Tiussi, underlines how the mosaic cannot be read as an isolated episode, but as part of a larger housing system: «It is essential to reunite it with the Cassis funds and the domus of the Dancing Putti». The demolition of the wall that today separates the former barracks from the area excavated by the University of Trieste will allow us to verify whether we are dealing with a single, enormous residence that belonged to a wealthy Aquileian of the 4th century. The investigations carried out in recent days have revealed the unusually high level of the floor, an element that strengthens the hypothesis of a later dating, already intuitively felt by Professor Fontana, historical director of the excavation of the Cassis Funds. In parallel with the restoration of the building, the Foundation is working with the Chief Inspector of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscapes of FVG on a roofing project that will soon allow the public to admire the mosaic where it remained hidden for decades. In Aquileia, a floor once again becomes a story: not only of taste and wealth, but of a city that continues to recompose itself, tile after tile.
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