During an excavation of a villa that was used by ancient Roman emperors in Italy, archaeologists stumbled upon a surprising discovery: two mosaics portraying the Greek mythological figure, Medusa. T

his legendary character was known for her hair made of snakes and her ability to petrify people with her gaze, Live Science reported.

The circular room where the team found the mosaics is located in the Villa of the Antonines, which was named after the Antonine dynasty that governed the Roman Empire from A.D. 138 to 193.

According to the researchers, the mosaics were most likely created in the second century A.D. They presented their findings at the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, which was held in New Orleans in January.

Both mosaics depict Medusa gazing off into the distance, leaving observers to ponder about her thoughts.

Written by staff