Photographs of Fishbourne Roman Palace Mosaics

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early geometric mosaic

Dolphin Mosaic

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Multicoloured mosaic
Early black and white geometric mosaic Early black and white geometric mosaic Early black and white geometric mosaic Early black and white geometric mosaic Shell pattern mosaic

The palace was begun ca. 73 AD and consisted of four large wings with colonnaded fronts, forming a square around a formal garden. The north and east wings consisted of suites of rooms built around courtyards, with a monumental entrance in the middle of the east wing. In the north-east corner was an aisled assembly hall. The west wing contained state rooms, a large ceremonial reception room, and a gallery. The south wing contained the owner's private apartments. The palace also included as many as 50 mosaic floors, under-floor central heating and an integral bathhouse.
A modern museum has been built, incorporating most of the visible remains including the north wing of the palace. The gardens have been re-planted using authentic plants from the Roman period.