(Picture on the
right: A deer hunt,
detail from the
mosaic floor signed
Gnosis in the
'House of the
Abduction of Helen'
at Pella, late 4th
century BC, Pella,
Archaeological
Museum.)
Opus vermiculatum: A single row, or several rows,
of tesserae following the outline of a feature (such as
a figure or other subject) in a mosaic. The effect is a
little like a halo, highlighting the subject and
providing contrast against a
background with teserae
laid in a different style.
"Vermiculatum" means
"worm-like" and is so called
because it curves around
the contours of the design.
The peristyle mosaic consists of a mosaic of opus
tesselatum in bands of red, white and black
encasing a detailed 3dimensional meander
and a scroll motif
(running dog). At the
centre is an emblema in
opus vermiculatum,
depicting two pigeons
perched on the rim of a
bowl. Known as the
Drinking Doves of
Sosos, this representation originated form a
second century BC painting by Sosos of
Pergamon, but was then widely copied and
widespread throughout the Empire
Egyptian Glass
Small pieces of glass in mosaics were first used by
the Egyptians during the New Kingdom (c. 1550 to
1069 B.C.). Very small pieces of dull-colored glass
were used to make mosaic jewelry and mosaic
stones. The stones were added to wall pieces and
inlays, usually in funerary art. It wasn’t until the
Roman Empire took control of Egypt in 31 B.C. that
glass production would advance to a higher art form
in Egypt. With an abundance of sand and soda, and
with years of mastering the art, Egypt created much
Mosaicglass
of the glass for the Roman nobles.
panel. Egypt,
ca. 1st century
B.C. - 1st
century A.D.,
http://www.gizapyramids.org/pdf%20library/bmfa_pdfs/bmfa74_1
976_110to114.pdf
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/GeogHist/histories/Oldci
vilization/Egyptology/LifeAncient/lifeinEgypt12.htm
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mosa/hd_mosa.htm
http://ancienthistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_history_of_m
osaic_art
http://www.heritagemalta.org/museums/domusromana/domu
scoll.html
http://arts.jrank.org/pages/16154/mosaic.html
http://www.greekmosaics.com/History.htm
http://www.dewin-y-delyn.co.uk/mosaics/mosaics2.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10584a.htm
http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Medieval/Arch/ByzantineArchitec
ture.html
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravenna-gallaplacidia-photos/slides/IMG_1117p.htm
History Of Mosaics
The method of depicting designs by bringing
together morsels of variously colored materials is of
high antiquity. We are apt to think of a line of
distinction between classical and Christian mosaics
in that the former were generally of marble and the
latter mostly of colored and gilt glass. But glass
mosaics were already in use in the Augustan age,
and the use of gilt tesserae goes back to the 1st or
2nd century. The first application of glass to this
purpose seems to have been made in Egypt, the
great glass-working centre of antiquity, and the
gilding of tesserae may with probability be traced to
the same source, whence, it is generally agreed,
most of the gilt glass vessels, of which so many
have been found in the catacombs, were derived.
The earliest existing mosaics of a typically Christian
character are some to be found at Santa Costanza,
Rome (4th century).
(Picture on the left:
Bellerophon, riding
Pegasus,
slays the Chimaira,
mosaic floor of a
house,
432-348 BC,
Olynthos)
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravenna
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravenna-san-vitale
http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Rome%20&%20Cen
tral%20Italy/Rome/Rome_Churches/Santa_Pudenziana/Santa_
Pudenziana.htm
http://www.aug.edu/augusta/iconography/staPudenziana/apse.html
During the 4th millennium B.C. at South
Mesopotamia that was inhabited by the
Sumerians, we find the first kind of decoration with
pieces of cockleshells, onyx and clay in a temple
at the ancient city of Ouruk.
Basilica of Santa Pudenziana
In Rome, the great apse-mosaic of S.
Pudenziana dates from about A.D. 400. The
mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, is
incrusted within by mosaic work of the 5th
century, and most probably the dome mosaics of
the church of St George, Salonica, are also of this
period. Of the 6th century are many of the
magnificent examples still remaining at Ravenna,
portions of the original incrustation of St Sophia,
Constantinople, those of the basilica at Parenzo,
on the Gulf of Istria, and of St Catherines, Sinai.
6th Century
Mosaic Map – St.
George’s Church
– Madaba, Jordan
Madaba is best known for its superb, historically
significant Byzantine era mosaics. Madaba’s most
famous site is the Mosaic map in the 19th century
Greek Orthodox St George’s Church. Unearthed
1864, the mosaic was once a clear map with 157
captions (in Greek) of all major biblical sites from
Lebanon to Egypt. The mosaic was constructed AD
560 & once contained more than 2 million pieces,
only 1/3 of the whole now survives.
Mosaic of Christ as the Good Shepherd over the
entrance of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia,
dating from around 430 AD. This image was
common in the Roman catacombs of earlier
centuries, but there are important developments to
be seen in this version. Instead of being shown as
a typical countryman, this Good Shepherd has a
large golden halo, wears a royal purple mantle
over a golden tunic, and holds a tall cross. On
either side of him are two groups of three sheep,
who look peaceful and gaze up at their Shepherd.
Christ tenderly touches the nose of one of them.
The Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna
dates from the mid-6th century.
San Vitale is a small domed church in the Byzantine
architectural style. It has an octagonal plan, with a twostory ambulatory enclosing a central space beneath a
great cupola. Attached at an angle to the west side is
an entrance porch or narthex while a small choir and
apse extends to the east.
Imperial
Gate: Xth
century
mosaic
portraying
Emperor
Leo VI
(886-912)
The Byzantine image of the emperor was an iconic
one that is a symbol of power and not the actual
portrait of the man, as in the case of the ancient
Roman emperors. For this reason there is uncertainty
whether the emperor portrayed in the mosaic above is
Leo VI or his son Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus
(912-59). The latter had this attribute which means
"born in the porphyry" to stress he was the legitimate
son of Leo VI.
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna
Mosaic of the Good Shepherd
Mosaic of Okeanos
Tethys
Mosaic of Okeanos
Tethys, which was
found in Harbiye,
dates
back to the 4th century A.D.
The Sea God Okeanos was one of the 12 Titan
children of Gaia (Mother Earth) while Tethys is the
Sea Goddess, sister of Okeanos.
http://www.turkey-guide-blog.com/2009/11/hatay-museumof-archeology.html