Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/487

ROMAN OCCUPATION IN BRITAIN. 327 of the excavators were soon rewarded by the discovery of the second pavement, of which we give an oiithne plate. The whole of this, also, as far as it was possible to get it out from beneath the foundations of the houses, has been raised by the care and exertions of the Vicar, Mr. Newmarch, and Mr. Buckman, with the concrete attached, and without injury. In both instances, Lord Bathurst most handsomely defrayed the cost of labour and all other attendant expenses. This first pavement is about 1 4 feet square, more than three parts of it being perfect ; it was laid on a suspensura, the hypocaust being more or less entire beneath. The design is geometrical, formed by a twisted guilloche border, a circle in the centre, four half circles or lunettes, one on each side, with four quarters of circles occupying the corners, the inter- mediate spaces being filled by four squares with concave sides. In the circle was a group, the portion remaining represents three dogs in chace of some object, most probably ActsDon ; the two side lunettes have marine monsters, a sea- lion and a sea-di*agon pursuing and preying on fish ; in the bottom lunette is a scroll of ivy ; the upper compartment is defaced. In one corner is a head of Medusa ; in two others are figures formed from members of the dividing patterns ; the fourth is destroyed. Two of the squares have heads or masks of Jupiter or Neptune, most probably the latter ; each compartment has an inner border of elegant design, varied around each figure, and rich in colour. The walls, which remained about eight inches above the floor on two of the sides of the room, were found to have been stuccoed and painted in patterns of various brilliant colours, but on exposure to the air the colouring peeled off. In a line with this room, towards the cast, the bases of partition walls and parts of the pavements of two other rooms were discovered, but in conse- quence of the foundations of existing buildings it was impossible to disinter them, or trace them out. The mosaics, as far as seen, were all in black and white, and of a somewhat coarser description than that above described. On the west side, where it Avas possible to extend the excavations, the sump- tuous Pavement, represented in our engraving, was found ; the original design is 25 feet square: within a deep and highly enriched triple border, formed of a labyrinthine fret and twisted guilloche, are nine circles, each about 4 feet 8 inches in diameter, enclosed by twisted guillochcs, shaded and arranged octagonally, the interstices having small