Lepcis Magna, Villa of the Orpheus Mosaic
Villa with the Orpheus Mosaic: semi-urban Roman villa near Lepcis Magna.
The Villa Orpheus or, to be precise, the Villa with the Orpheus Mosaic, is a bit to the northwest of the ancient city of Lepcis Magna. Like the Villa Selene, the Villa Nile, and the Villa Dar Buc Ammera, it was situated close to the beach.
The mosaic for which it has become famous consists of three zones of pictures. On the first row, we can see Orpheus with his lyre between the animals - ferocious beasts and friendly cattle - that are listening to his songs. It is obvious that the artist had really seen the wild beasts, which are rendered perfectly. The second tier shows fishermen and their catch, and the third row shows a fisherman leaving home, two birds, and a fisherman returning home.
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The mosaic from the Villa Orpheus is now in Libya's National Archaeological Museum in Tripoli.