Medusa is a figure that stands out from other mythological creatures. As such, a new version of the snake-haired creature was found in Spain with distinct features, especially the fact that she had wings on her head.
New Medusa
According to Live Science, a recently discovered Medusa mosaic was said to be 1,800 years old and was found in a lavish house that was from the Roman era. This particular unearthing took place in western Spain, where the house was located.
The site where it was found was the Huerta de Otero. The mosaic had Medusa at its center and stretched into an octagon, which represented Athena's aegis, and into other geometric patterns and wildlife later on.
The aegis of Athena represented the shield that held the severed head of Medusa after Perseus had beheaded it. As such, Medusa was surrounded by all sorts of designs including masks and animals.
According to Meridas, interesting details about the mosaic showed four colorful peacocks, which represent the four seasons. She was also surrounded by other animals like fish.
Depiction of Medusa
José Vargas, the Barraeca II Professional School archaeology monitor who dug out the site, explained why Medusa was designed this way, saying it was to repel evil. There was also a huge distinction in how Medusa was portrayed during the Greek and Roman periods.
The History Blog reports how on some occasions, early Greece would portray medusa as having tusks, pointy teeth, and sometimes even a beard. However, in A.D. 100, Romans had a more elegant way of portraying her.
As noted by the Getty Center, Medusa was sometimes displayed during the Roman period as having features similar to Alexander the Great. She had wild locks and sometimes even wind-blown hair, which was made of snakes.
Some significant changes in how Medusa was portrayed included how she had a round face that was slightly turned, bulging eyes, and even white wings from her forehead. This depiction indicated that like Mercury, a Roman deity, she could also fly.
Because of how the mosaic was colored, archaeologists estimate that it came from the second A.D. century.
Finding the Mosaic
The mosaic was found by students in an excavation site that was first evacuated in 1976. However, little work was done until the students did a follow-up, which led to the discovery of a 30 sqm mosaic in 2019.
The archaeologists said that the mosaic was most likely located in the main room, known as the triclinium, which is the equivalent of a dining room and was where people ate. Aside from the mosaic of Medusa, other ornamental apparatus were found in the well-preserved house.
This included paintings and sculpture motifs, which were found highly preserved due to nature.
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