4 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

Oldest prayer beads made from salmon vertebrae found on England’s Holy island

28 June 2022

28 June 2022

On the island of Lindisfarne, just off the coast of Northumberland, known in England as the “Holy Island“, archaeologists have...

Archaeologists Uncover 8 Graves Dated 6,500 Years Ago in Lausanne, Swiss

30 October 2021

30 October 2021

Archaeologists have unearthed eight prehistoric tombs between 5,500 and 6,500 years old in the Swiss town of Pully. The site...

Remains of a 5-year-old girl found under Real Alcázar in Spain

9 May 2021

9 May 2021

The body of a five-year-old fair-haired girl who lived in the late Middle Ages and was most likely of noble...

Computational Analysis Points to a Non-Traditional Garden of Eden Location – Beneath the Pyramids?

30 April 2025

30 April 2025

A radical new theory proposed by a computer engineer suggests that the biblical Garden of Eden may not be in...

Stone Age Swiss Army Knife? Experimental Archaeology Reveals Surprising Use of Bone Tools at Estonia Site

22 May 2025

22 May 2025

A groundbreaking new study published in February 2025 has revealed that mysterious bone tools discovered at Estonia’s oldest known human...

A Connection Between Viking Knots And Quantum Vortices Discovered

14 December 2022

14 December 2022

Scientists demonstrated how three vortices can be linked in such a way that they cannot be dismantled. Although this study...

A 2900-year-old collection of fossilized shark teeth found in the City of David, one of Jerusalem’s oldest Parts

5 July 2021

5 July 2021

Scientists discovered an inexplicable collection of fossilized shark teeth at a 2900-year-old archaeological site in Jerusalem’s City of David, one...

Mothers in the prehistoric were far more skilled at parenting their children than we give them credit for

24 November 2021

24 November 2021

The death rate of newborns in ancient cultures is not a reflection of inadequate healthcare, sickness, or other issues, according...

Bronze Age family systems deciphered: Paleogeneticists analyze 3,800-year-old extended family

31 August 2023

31 August 2023

A Bronze Age family living 3,800 years ago in the Southern Urals may have taken a flexible approach to marriage,...

Earliest evidence of forest management discovered at the La Draga Neolithic site in Spain

19 July 2023

19 July 2023

Archaeologists have discovered the earliest evidence of forest management at the La Draga Neolithic site in northeastern Spain. A scientific...

Archaeologists uncover intact 16th-century quayside in the Belgium town of Leper

24 March 2022

24 March 2022

Excavations at Leper (Ypres), located in the West Flanders province of Belgium, have uncovered a 16th-century quayside. The find was...

Syria uncovered a large intact mosaic that dates back to the Roman era

12 October 2022

12 October 2022

Syria uncovered a large intact mosaic that dates back to the Roman era, in the central town of Rastan, describing...

‘Mystery and Unfathomable’ King Arthur’s Hall is 4,000 Years Older Than Previously Thought

10 November 2024

10 November 2024

A mysterious monument in Cornwall has been discovered to be 5,000 years old—4,000 years older than previously thought. The rectangular...

Countless Votive Offerings Discovered at Ancient Sanctuary on Greek Island Kythnos

10 June 2023

10 June 2023

Archaeologists excavating a hilltop temple complex on the Cycladic island of Kythnos (commonly called Thermia) Greece have unearthed more than...