Archeologists Solve Ancient Roman "Jigsaw Puzzle" In London
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Researchers at the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) have painstakingly reconstructed a stunning collection of ancient Roman frescoes. These decorative wall paintings once adorned a building in Londinium, the ancient Roman settlement that would later become London. Dating back over 1,800 years, the colorful fragments represent one of the largest finds of painted Roman plaster in the city.
The MOLA archeologists stumbled upon the fresco pieces in 2021 and 2022 while excavating a construction site in Southwark, London. Alongside the fragments, they also uncovered a large Roman mosaic and the remains of a mausoleum — clues that they had come across something important from the Roman era.
Rebuilding the frescoes was no easy task. With no photos or drawings to guide them, Han Li and his team had to rely on instinct, experience, and a lot of patience. They sifted through thousands of pieces, carefully searching for matching shades of paint, edges, and patterns. Sometimes, connections were made based on just a few flecks of surviving color.
"It was like assembling the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle," said Li. "Many of the fragments were very delicate, and pieces from different walls had been jumbled together."
But the effort, which took over two years, was well-worth it. The completed murals revealed scenes filled with birds, fruits, flowers, and ancient Roman musical instruments. One wall featured bold geometric paneling and a striking yellow background. The color had only been found once before in a Roman palace in London. The MOLA team believes the same artists may have painted both sites. Elsewhere, the walls mimicked exotic stones, including yellow marble from North Africa. These design choices, along with the structure's location in an affluent part of Roman London, suggest the owner may have been wealthy.
The building's exact purpose remains a mystery. Its lavish decor suggests it may have been a high-end home, or even a luxury hotel. But the scientists also found an inscription of the entire Greek alphabet etched into the fragments. Similar markings found in Italy were thought to have been checklists. This has led Li and his team to wonder if the structure might have been a warehouse.
Whatever the case, the frescoes, revealed on June 23, 2025, offer a vivid window into life in Roman London. According to MOLA’s Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, the artwork is proof that Londinium wasn’t just a remote outpost.
"They’re [the Romans] investing in London,” he told BBC News. "And they’re seeing it as a place to settle in, a place to stay."
Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, BBCnews.com, Artnet.com
