Construction workers were carving out a driveway for a new office building near Ilminster, England, when they came across something unexpected. Beneath the soil lay a delicate pattern of colored tiles.
Archaeologists called to the scene quickly recognized the discovery as a Roman mosaic, dating back to the 4th century. Britain was then part of the vast Roman Empire.
The mosaic turned out to be very large: 32 feet long by six feet wide. Its red, blue and white tiles depict a graceful dolphin. The artwork may have adorned the courtyard of a wealthy family's villa.
"Discoveries of this type are few and far between," said archaeologist David Miles. His team will work to preserve this newly unearthed bit of history.