A FIVE-year project to recreate a Roman mosaic in the Somerset countryside has been completed.

A dedicated band of volunteers has worked tirelessly to make and lay around 140,000 stone and tile cubes in a reconstruction of a Roman building at Avalon Archaeology, near Glastonbury.

They used the same tools the Romans did to make the pieces – tesserae – and painstakingly recreated a series of mosaic designs, copying ones from Roman villas excavated in the county.

The Roman villa is one of the reconstructions open to the public at Avalon Archaeology, run by the South West Heritage Trust.

Alongside the villa, there is a Saxon Longhall and the volunteers are currently building an Iron Age round house at the Avalon Archaeology site, within the Avalon Marshes Centre at Westhay.

Dozens of volunteers have worked on the project

Dr Richard Brunning, an archaeologist with the South West Heritage Trust, has led the project.

“We believe it is the only recreation of a Roman mosaic in the UK made entirely by untrained volunteers, using the same materials and techniques as the Romans did,” he said.

“The finished result is a great testament to the dedication of the volunteers, who have produced a great work of art despite having no prior experience.”

Around two dozen volunteers have been involved in the creation of the mosaic, with young people from the Mick Aston Young Archaeologists group also contributing.

This Christmas, visitors to Avalon Archaeology can experience the Roman festival of Saturnalia during a family-friendly day on Sunday, December 15.

Visitors will be able to see the reconstructions decked in festive finery, with the hypocaust fire warming the Roman villa.

There are more festive events taking place, including a visit from reenactors from Draca Beorder for Viking Yule, on Saturday, December 14.

For more on the mosaic and events at the Avalon Marshes Centre, visit avalonarchaeology.org.uk.