DOMUS OF THE STONE CARPETS, Presentation

Hi, my name’s Rick, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the Wonders of the World: the Domus of the Stone Carpets.

The Domus of the Stone Carpets, located in the basement of the Church of St. Euphemia, is an 850-square-meter – or 9,000-square-feet – archaeological site that was unearthed beginning in 1993. It was part of a prestigious palace dating back to the sixth century AD, when Ravenna was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.

Many rooms were discovered inside: some for official purposes, others reserved only for family members or important guests, as well as corridors, areas that served as hallways between rooms, and courtyards from which light filtered. Unfortunately, neither the overall size of the palace nor its original floor plan could be traced because not all rooms were rediscovered, given the impossibility of expanding the excavations.

The domus belonged to a distinguished personage who certainly held a very important political role within the court. Archaeologists have deduced this from the fact that part of a major public street had been incorporated within the building, on which the entrance to the domus is likely to have been located. At that time, it was extremely rare for a private citizen to appropriate public property, a privilege that could only be granted by those who held political power.

The richness of the materials, the marbles, and especially the decorations, and in particular the wonderful mosaic floors, confirm the prestige of the owner....