Archaeologists Found a 1,600-Year-Old Roman Mosaic of Flip-Flops.

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Archaeologists Found a 1,600-Year-Old Roman Mosaic of Flip-Flops. They Look Weirdly Trendy.
Tim Newcomb
Popular Mechanics
Mon, August 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM EDT
3 min read



Ancient Roman Villa Shocks with Flip-Flop Mosaics Edoardo Fornaciari - Getty Images


Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:

*A famed Roman villa offers a surprising find of a flip-flop-like sandal shown in ancient mosaics.

*Archaeologists continue to excavate what was once a luxurious residence in Sicily, Italy.

*The discovery comes alongside one of the most famous mosaic-filled Roman villas in the world.


Discovering a fourth century A.D. mosaic of what appears to be modern-day flip-flops wasn’t what anyone expected during the excavation of a famed Roman villa in Sicily, Italy. But then again, this is the same site that gave us the swimsuit Girls mosaic.

As archaeologists working with the International Summer School ArchLabs, directed by Isabella Baldini, continued to excavate the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina in Sicily, they uncovered a new mosaic with two sandals, distinctly reminiscent of modern-day flip-flops, something not seen before from that time.

“These are not simple decorations, but a refined work created by a fourth century A.D. mosaic artisan, part of a larger mosaic scheme that decorated the southern thermal baths of the villa,” according to a translated statement from the architectural office of the Sicilian Region.

The flip-flops find is more than just a quirky discovery; it reshapes our understanding of the footwear of the region. Modern-day flip-flops are often attributed to Japanese and Brazilian cultures—Havaianas are the most well-known of the early brands in Brazil—so having a flip-flop-looking depiction from the fourth century A.D. was a surprise.

Of course, this is the same villa that offered up the swimsuit Girls mosaic, a vivid artistic rendering of two young females engaged in what could be an Olympic-style athletic event wearing what equates to modern-day athletic shorts and tube tops. Maybe the folks in Sicily were simply centuries ahead of the western world’s fashion trends.

The newly discovered flip-flop find was part of a larger mosaic in the southern section of the villa. The location, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considered one of the most luxurious villas of the Roman Empire. UNESCO said it’s especially noteworthy for the “richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room,” adding they are the “finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world.” It all adds up to making the villa-turned-museum into a popular tourist attraction. Plans are underway to create a three-dimensional system to document the new finds while looking to create a more accessible avenue for both researchers and tourists.

Along with the flip-flop history, archaeologists discovered mosaic inscriptions and three columns, further cementing the artistic and architectural quality of a villa that has turned into a field laboratory. Part of what makes the location so unique is an ancient flood deposited a layer of mud across the villa, helping to preserve the site.

Each archaeological campaign reinforces the idea that the villa was one of the most luxurious residential complexes in all the Roman Empire. While the original owner of the site is uncertain, experts believe it could be an imperial residence or the home of a Roman aristocrat, likely a governor of Rome.

The site features warehouses, public and private baths, reception halls, and intricately decorated dining rooms. With mosaics abounding, the artistry shows off everything from the expected bounty of agricultural scenes and unique animal imagery to a more erotic scene of lovers in an embrace, gods fishing, and, of course, the swimsuit Girls. Now, we can add flip-flops to the list.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/archaeologists-found-1-600-old-203000828.html