Two Roman mosaics are at risk of leaving the UK

• The two mosaics have been valued at £560,000 in total
• Export bar is to allow time for a UK museum, gallery or institution to acquire the mosaics

Export bars have been placed on two geometric and patterned Roman mosaics dating back to the fourth century AD that are at risk of leaving the United Kingdom. 

The two sections of Roman mosaics were discovered at a Roman villa at Fullerton, in Hampshire. The villa was first discovered during excavation as part of a continuing exploration of the upper Test Valley and in 1904, the two Roman mosaics were uncovered and moved to Fullerton Manor. 

The two mosaics both have unique defining characteristics. One shows what is believed to be a ‘running pelta’ design in which a series of crescent-shaped small shields are arranged in a geometric pattern full of flow and energy. The pattern is created using purplish-brown and red mosaic tiles on a white background. These pelta shapes can be found across the Roman world.

The second mosaic shows geometric designs created also using purplish-brown bands of tiles set against a white background. The design consists of two separate elements, a bold design similar to a simplified city wall and a simple stonework pattern of alternating rectangles. 

Excavation established that the mosaics derived from a narrow corridor linking the east and west sides of the villa, and from a square room at its northern end. This latter room subsequently proved to have much of the remaining labyrinth pattern still intact, minus the rectangular section lifted in 1904, providing a tangible link between the two.

Roman villas are a significant resource for experts researching Roman Britain, but current understanding of how they were used is minimal. Originally it was believed that Roman villas were used as the residences of the landed gentry, but it is now thought they served a much wider range of purposes including being used as hunting estates, agrarian powerhouses, cult centres visited by pilgrims and for spiritual and physical healing. 

These mosaics play a vital role in helping us to understand the complex and rich history of our ancestors and give us unique insight into how the countryside was used in Roman Britain and how this changed over time. 

Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: 

These mosaics dating back to the fourth century provide a rare insight into the local history of Hampshire during Roman Britain, shaping our understanding of life in the countryside during this period. 

I hope placing an export bar on these unique Roman mosaics means a UK buyer can be found so that the public can continue to have opportunities to learn about our country’s rich history and to enjoy these mosaics for generations to come.” 

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the mosaics met the first and third Waverley criteria for their outstanding connection with our history and national life and its outstanding significance to the study of Roman Britain, in particular the use of Roman residences in the countryside and how that changed over time.

Committee member, Tim Pestell said: 

Few things are as readily associated with the Romans as mosaics, those patterned floors that decorated their villas. Made of thousands of tiny blocks of stone called tesserae laid together to create patterns or figural scenes, they conjure up a sophisticated lifestyle in graceful houses, where the rich displayed their wealth and power. Although many have been revealed through excavations in Britain, the number that survive intact is tiny. 

The survival of two stretches of mosaic that were excavated from a Roman villa in Hampshire is therefore remarkable.

Further analysis has much to tell us about the commissioner and makers of not only these mosaics, but others from the Empire. The ways in which they were used, the trade networks exploited for their materials and above all, their breathtaking beauty can only be fully realised if these intricate pieces can be saved for the public by a museum. With an export bar placed on these mosaics, I sincerely hope this opportunity can be taken.

The decision on the export licence application for the geometric pelta pattern mosaic and the geometric monochrome mosaics will be deferred for a period ending on 19 February 2025 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase one or both the mosaics.

The geometric pelta pattern mosaic is set at the recommended price of £380,000 (plus VAT of £76,000 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

The geometric monochrome mosaics are set at the recommended price of £180,000 (plus VAT of £36,000 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

Notes to editors

1. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing one or both the mosaics should contact the RCEWA on 02072680534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.
2. Details of the object are as follows: 
   1.  Roman mosaic with geometric pelta pattern. Stone and terracotta. Height: 125cm, length: 442cm. 
   2. Roman geometric monochrome mosaics, Stone. Height: 272cm, length: 190cm. 
3. Provenance: Private collection, discovered in 1872 and installed in Fullerton manor since then. Removed in 2023.
4. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by Arts Council England (ACE), which advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.
5. Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Its strategic vision in Let’s Create is that, by 2030, England should be a country in which the creativity of everyone is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. ACE invests public money from the government and the National Lottery to support the sector and deliver the vision. Following the Covid-19 crisis, ACE developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90 per cent coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. It is also one of the bodies administering the government’s unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund.