Boris Johnson opens the Lod Roman Mosaic Exhibition at Waddesdon Manor
Predators and Prey: A Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel
5 June to 2 November 2014
A rare Roman mosaic pavement excavated in Israel forms the centrepiece of this special exhibition held in the Stables Coach House at Waddesdon Manor.
In 1996 a splendid series of Roman mosaic floors was accidentally discovered during local road works in Lod, just outside Tel Aviv in Israel (Lydda in the Ancient World). Finally excavated in 2009 by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the largest and most elaborate of these will be displayed at Waddesdon Manor in 2014, having toured a number of museums in the US and Europe including the Metropolitan Museum, New York, the Field Museum, Chicago and the Louvre. It is currently on display at the Altes Museum in Berlin.
The site of Lod has been consistently occupied since antiquity, with limited archaeological evidence or activity. As a result, the discovery of the Lod mosaic is all the more exceptional not only giving an insight into the importance of the ancient city, but also hinting at the Roman treasures which may still remain hidden.
Contemporary and contextual objects from the Middle East, kindly lent by the British Museum, will be displayed alongside material from Lod to illuminate its wider background. Part of the exhibition will highlight the historical involvement of the Rothschild family in archaeological projects in the region using material from the archive and collections at Waddesdon. A programme of activities and events will accompany this exciting exhibition.
The Lod Mosaic is on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Shelby White and Leon Levy Lod Mosaic Centre.