5 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

1900 years old a rare mosaic was discovered in Durrës, Albania

In the port city of Durrës, on the Adriatic Sea in western Albania, a unique mosaic dating back 1900 years was found.

As one of the oldest and most significant port cities in the Balkans, Durrës is 34 kilometers from Tirana. With nearly 3.000 years of history, it is Albania’s most ancient city or the eternal city over the Adriatic Sea. Its foundation dates back to 627 B.C., when the Corinthians and settlers from Corcyra invaded the Taulants’ Illyrian territory.

It later passed to the Romans, who called it Dyrrhachium. It thereby became the most important port of Illyricum. In the 4th century, it became the capital of Epirus Nova (a Roman province).

The city is home to Emperor Hadrian’s Roman amphitheater with a capacity of 15,000 seats. It is the second-largest amphitheater in the Balkans.

The city of Durrës is also known for the “Beauty of Durres” mosaic from the 4th century BC, currently on display in the National History Museum in Tirana.

Photo: Vox News

The mosaic was unearthed during works for opening the foundations for the reconstruction of a high school.

According to archaeologist Professor Luan Perzhita, who leads the work for this archaeological discovery, this is a very rare mosaic not only for Albania but for the entire Balkan region.

This mosaic composed of dark blue and white stones with geometric and floral figures belongs to the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd century and is part of a luxurious villa that was located near the Durrës amphitheater. So far, only a portion of this mosaic, which is estimated to cover an area of 60 square meters, has been discovered.

Photo: Vox News

In addition to the mosaic, a 3-meter-high part of the wall on the eastern side, as well as several other objects, was discovered.

This is a very rare archaeological find that adds to Durrës’ extraordinary cultural heritage.

Cover Photo: Vox News

Related Articles

Evidence of Medieval Plague Victims Buried With “Significant Care” Found

23 June 2021

23 June 2021

The Black Death, which killed between 40 and 60% of Europe’s population in the mid-14th century, was a devastating epidemic...

15 new sculptures discovered in Turkey’s sculpture paradise Yesemek

8 December 2021

8 December 2021

Archaeologists discovered 15 new sculptures during recent digs around the Yesemek Open Air Museum and Sculpture Workshop in the Islahiye...

Researchers use AI to read words on ancient Herculaneum scroll burned by Vesuvius

13 October 2023

13 October 2023

Researchers used artificial intelligence to extract the first word from one of the first texts in a charred scroll from...

Neanderthals of the North

13 May 2022

13 May 2022

Were Neanderthals really as well adapted to life in the cold as previously assumed, or did they prefer more temperate...

The ancient city of Kastabala will soon have a colonnaded Street

4 September 2021

4 September 2021

The archaeological excavation of the ancient city of Kastabala in Osmaniye Province in southern Turkey continues. Kastabala-Hierapolis is one of...

Newly Discovered Two Fortress Settlements and a New Type of Open-Air Temple in Eastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye

26 March 2024

26 March 2024

Two fortress settlements and two new open-air temples were discovered during a survey in Tunceli province in the Eastern Anatolia...

Elamite clay tablet discovered 4500 years old, in southwest Iran

4 December 2021

4 December 2021

A clay tablet, estimated to be from the Elam period, about 4500 years old, was recently discovered in southwestern Iran....

Declassified CIA Satellite Spy Program Reveals Lost Ancient Roman Forts

26 October 2023

26 October 2023

Archaeologists have discovered “massive” ancient Roman forts that redraw the borders of the ancient empire using images from a declassified...

Hannibal’s Italian Ally: 170 Meters of Fortifications and 450 Roman Lead Projectiles Discovered

20 June 2025

20 June 2025

Archaeologists in Ugento, a city in southern Italy that once sided with Hannibal during the Second Punic War, have uncovered...

Scientists have discovered an ancient cemetery of flying reptiles roaming the Atacama desert of Chile 100 million years ago

7 April 2022

7 April 2022

In Chile, an unusual cemetery has been discovered that contains the well-preserved remains of prehistoric flying reptiles that flew over...

In western Turkey, inscriptions and 2,500-year-old sculptures were found

11 July 2021

11 July 2021

Two 2,500-year-old marble statues and an inscription have been found during excavations at the ancient city of Euromos, in Turkey’s...

Remains of a Roman stylobate found in Montenegro

19 July 2023

19 July 2023

In ancient Rhizon (Risan) in Montenegro, remains of a Roman stylobate (a shared base for multiple columns) were uncovered. In...

Excavations in Haldensleben, Germany Reveal A Lost Settlement

9 November 2024

9 November 2024

Excavations at Haldensleben in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt provide important information about a lost settlement. Since May 2024, the...

Polish Archaeologists uncover a ancient residence and mysterious mask in Libya’s ancient city Ptolemais

15 January 2025

15 January 2025

In Libya’s ancient city of Ptolemais on the Mediterranean coast, Polish archaeologists have uncovered a dwelling equipped with an advanced...

Rare Sassanid-era Inscription on Loyalty and Justice Unearthed in Marvdasht, Southern Iran

11 June 2025

11 June 2025

A rare Sassanid-era inscription has been unearthed in the historic region of Marvdasht, located in Iran’s Fars province, revealing deep...