January 25, 2022 – Another ancient archaeological find from Salona reveals a stunning peacock mosaic depicted in early Christian art as a symbol of resurrection and eternal life.

The beautiful ancient mosaics recently discovered in the center of Solin have caused a sensation in archaeological circles, but also beyond. The probable storey of certain Roman villas on the outskirts of Salona can shed new light on the area where the capital of Roman Dalmatia extended. And not only that, but it is one of the few finds that can show how people lived in Salona, ​​reports T.portal.

Apart from the interest of the profession and the work that restorers are currently doing on the mosaics, the main issue is the future presentation of one of Salona’s critical discoveries over the past decades. As it stands, the mosaics will be covered in glass and will occupy a well-deserved place in the future cultural center of the city, which is why the work that led to the discovery began in this area.

Ivo Cagalj/Pixsell

With underfloor heating facilities and a beautiful little flower mosaic, the main find is undoubtedly a giant mosaic with more decorative details – a peacock image. It may be that the former owner of the villa, unknown to us today, admired the beauty of this bird. However, according to some experts, the representation of a peacock can indicate when the villa was built, that is to say at the beginning of Christianity, from the 4th century (Salona was abandoned in the first half of the 7th century ). The reason for this is the significant symbolism of the peacock in the Christian religion.

Peacocks are commonly depicted in early Christian art as a symbol of resurrection and eternal life. Such a meaning probably comes from pre-Christian religions, from Greek to Jewish. It was believed that peacock meat does not decompose even after death, so they considered it a symbol of eternity. The belief was also passed on to Christians, who portrayed this bird as a sign of the eternal existence of Christ. Saint Augustine tested this thesis in practice and was surprised at how long the meat remained undigested. In “The State of God”, he even writes about his experience: “a year later, it remained the same, except that it dried up”. These are all the reasons why this bird can be seen in catacombs and tombs as it reminds believers of the immortality of the soul.

In the Middle Ages, this was supplemented by the fact that the peacock lost its feathers every year, and new ones grew even more beautifully than before. Legends also say that the beautiful colors of peacock feathers come from food, that is, a peacock can kill and eat poisonous snakes, whose venom “turns” into miraculous feather colors. It was the same, it was then believed, with Christ: he died for us on the cross, then rose from the dead, vanquishing evil, taking on divine form, and with healed wounds. We can also say that the peacock – whose beauty is not always visible – symbolizes a Christian who has attained eternal life by faith and has shown all his greatness by the resurrection, just as a peacock spreads its spectacular tail during special occasions. Interestingly, later, and even today, the peacock was seen more as a symbol of vanity.

The peacock’s tail had another meaning – the “eyes” at its ends reminded Christians of the all-seeing God. For example, the pillars of the Forum of Theodosius in Constantinople, present-day Istanbul, were decorated with this part of a peacock’s tail.

We can only hope that the announcements about the presentation and (especially) the preservation of this find will come true, and that it will not meet the fate of Salona’s most famous mosaic, a representation of two stags drinking from water and the inscription ‘As a deer longs for a spring of water, so my soul longs, God, for You.’ Namely, this mosaic disappeared between the two world wars, and today there are only replicas and paintings.

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