A stunning mosaic from the Late Classical period depicting dancing Satyrs was discovered on the floor of an ancient house in Eretria, Greece, the Ministry of Culture announced on Saturday.
The mosaic depicts two Satyrs. They were characterized by their ribaldry and were known as lovers of wine, music, dancing, and women. They were companions of the god Dionysus and were believed to inhabit remote locales, such as woodlands, mountains, and pastures.
The house is located in the core of the urban fabric of the ancient city, near the sanctuary of Daphniforos Apollo, where houses of the 4th century BC have been researched in the past.
During the excavation, a four-sided room with an almost square plan of 3.50 meters in length and 3.55 in width was uncovered.
Archaeologists found the mosaic made of natural pebbles, small in size and white in color, and depicting the Satyrs inside the room.
Two male figures with animal-like features including tails, horns, and pointed ears are depicted. One is young and plays a double flute, while the other is bearded, older, and probably dancing to the music.
Pebbles of various colors (white, black, red, yellow) have been used to render the features of the face or details of the body, with the most characteristic being the rendering of the hair with yellow pebbles, which lend realism and vitality to the figures of the show.
Room with Satyrs mosaic in Eretria used only be men
Researchers also found a structure that was used to place beds or recliners, an element that is often found in residences of the same period in Eretria. According to the Ministry of Culture the room may have served for gatherings of men.
The performance of the Satyrs who are in a cheerful mood, enjoying themselves to the sounds of music, is also connected figuratively to the use of the space, which was intended for the celebrations that took place in the house.
After its abandonment, in the first Christian centuries (5th-6th century AD), the site was used as a cemetery, as can be deduced from the identification of five tombs, which had been dug inside the embankment of the room.
The house and the pebble mosaic floor probably date after the middle of the 4th century BC, the time when the luxurious private houses appear in ancient Eretria.
Following the decision of the local Council of Monuments of Central Greece, it was decided to temporarily cover the floor for protection. Studies will be carried out to find the appropriate way to highlight the findings.
Ancient Eretria, a maritime power in Greece
Ancient Eretria was a major maritime power with an eminent school of philosophy. Its scant but fascinating ruins lie scattered around town. Southwest of the ancient hilltop acropolis are the remains of a 5th-century-BC theatre and a 4th-century-BC temple; the most fascinating site is the House of Mosaics (370 BC), with pebble mosaics depicting mythological scenes.
Other remnants include baths, walls, a gymnasium, and the Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros with its origins in the 8th century BC.
The ancient Greek city was destroyed in 87 BC by the Roman commander Sylla.
Related: Ancient Palaestra Discovered in Greece’s Eretria