Mosaic Pavements Research Articles

Representations of Music and the Dance in Late Roman Art

Music and the dance are an important theme represented in various artistic media of the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods, including mosaic pavements and decorative arts such as silver metalwork, woven textiles, and carved ivories. A popular aspect of this theme is imagery of the Dionysiac thiasos, with members of the wine god’s entourage making merry by dancing and sounding crotala or cymbal tongs, as we see in a fragmentary mosaic from the House of the Dionysiac Thiasos at Augusta Traiana – Beroe. A similar effect occurs in either an expanded or a somewhat reduced format in pavements from Argos and Madaba. Besides mosaics, this subject also appears on Late Antique silver plate made for display, such as objects in the Mildenhall Treasure from Roman Britain and related works. Coptic textiles used to ornament private houses as colorful wall hangings feature lively dancers and musicians, and these figures may or may not have a mythological identity. Other non-mythological representations of music and the dance appeared in domestic and public settings. An outstanding example is the well-preserved Mosaic of Female Musicians that decorated a house in Mariamin, Syria, and that assembles an impressive group of instrumentalists and a dancer. One observes a pipe organ (hydraulis) along with a cithara, an aulos, and an acetabulum, consisting of a series of metal bowls struck with a baton. Elsewhere there are depicted a pantomime performance with an organ accompaniment, visible in a mosaic from Noheda, Spain, as well as music-making and dancing in the context of the circus. The latter subject appears on a consular diptych, and on the base of the Obelisk of Theodosius in Constantinople. We finally note that the pipe organ was later adopted for use in the church liturgy, reflected in an illustration in the Utrecht Psalter of 9th-century date. If the latter work of art is a copy of a Late Antique manuscript, as some scholars believe, then the pipe organ’s adoption for Christian ceremonial practice should be dated earlier than originally thought.

The Peaceful Kingdom of Isaiah in Late Antique Mosaic Pavements of Cilician and Isaurian Church Buildings

This article examines a topic that has been only partially investigated to date, namely that of the iconic depiction of the so-called “Peaceful Kingdom of Isaiah” on mosaics located in late antique church buildings in the region of Cilicia (southeastern modern Turkey). These mosaics are sometimes accompanied by the verse of Isaiah 11:6 or 65:25. Many of these Cilician mosaics lie in a state of neglect or have suffered great damage in recent years. Referring, therefore, to the excavation reports and to personal observations, I attempt a reconstruction of the iconography and of the mosaics’ locations within their respective Christian buildings, where possible. Starting with a short introduction on the meaning of the “Peaceful Kingdom” as described in Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25, the article presents a detailed analysis of the Cilician/Isaurian case studies. Similar examples from neighbouring regions in the East and the only identifiable case study in the West (Corsica) are also briefly discussed. Next, possible archetypes from which the representation of animals might have originated and influenced the origin of the “Peaceful Kingdom” motif are considered. In conclusion, after briefly outlining the different interpretations given by scholars on the meaning of the “Peaceful Kingdom” mosaics, an attempt will be made to interpret the Cilician case studies in light of a combined analysis both of positioning within the building and liturgical use.

Cosmologic Representations on the Late Antique Mosaics from Bulgaria

The article traces the cosmologic structure and its separate components, reflected on the Late Antique mosaic pavements from the ancient provinces of present-day Bulgaria. Distinguished are three basic historical periods of development. The observations reveal that these lands were receiving ready cosmogonic structure’s schemes after the act of cosmogony from the big artistic centers of Italy, Greece, Asia Minor and North Africa. For several reasons, the cosmologic structure and the components of the Late Antique mosaic pavements from Bulgaria are not full, but limited and adapted, with many missing figural representations in the mosaic pavements and the tomb wall paintings, differently to the Western and the Eastern Mediterranean. This is considered a kind of proto-iconoclasm, due to the influence of heresies and the concrete historical, religious and artistic development. The joyful picture of the Christian Universe changes and disintegrates after the Justinianic period, and the previous Order and Harmony, including the place of each sphere and cosmologic element, is already not fixed, but in free mixture with other figural and symbolic images. The old cosmologic picture comes to its logical end and is replaced by a new one after the beginning of 7th century.

The Marine Mosaics in Late Antique Thrace

It is assumed that marine mosaics were among the most popular mosaic pavements across the Roman Empire, particularly in thermal baths and triclinia. It has therefore been thought unsurprising that marine mosaics widely appear in Early Christian art. Late antique Thrace does not appear to be an exception to this trend, although few examples of such mosaics have been discovered so far. This article addresses all three examples from a villa suburbana in Serdica region as well as other examples from houses in Philippopolis and Augusta Traiana. All dated to the 4th century, these mosaic pavements hold different iconography that suggest that in the marine theme was not among the most popular themes that spread in Late Antique mosaics in the cities of inner Thrace. Instead, their use is attributable to specific historical circumstances such as Julian’s advance into Thrace in 361-362 or the explicit desire and needs of a house owner to present himself as a wealthy merchant to guests. The Philippopolitan mosaic with ‘classical’ iconography may have had a Christian meaning as well. Although this study lacks the necessary support of additional examples, perhaps awaiting discovery at Thrace’s coastal cities, it is a preliminary step toward more accurately gauging the distribution of marine mosaics in Thrace and their role in the development of mosaic art in the region in Late Antiquity.

Looking Beyond the Obvious: Rereading the Message of the Mosaics

When we look at the mosaic pavements that have come down to us over the centuries, it is easy to see that many of the patterns chosen were part of a decorative grammar that reflected a world view adapted to the geographical area, the social class and the time when the mosaic was built.
 The dawn of Christianity in the Roman Empire was no exception: traditional patterns were “adopted” by the new religion, in a discourse adapted to the moment in time and to the local social and political evolution. An adoption which at a certain moment allowed a veiled identification as a follower of the new religion.
 In the present intervention, the author proposes to present an analysis of the evolution of some of these patterns in the light of the Christianisation in the westernmost part of Lusitania.

Symbols of Faith in the Mosaic Floors of the Newly Discovered Ecclesiastical Complex at Ashdod Maritima, Israel

An ecclesiastical complex has recently been discovered in Ashdod Maritima – ancient Azotus. The site was excavated in 2019 and 2021. The complex includes a basilica, several rooms, and a chapel on the north side, all decorated with mosaic pavements. A mixed trend comes to light in the mosaics: on the one hand, there is a continuation of the geometric and vegetal compositions and motifs that originated in the Roman world and continued into the Byzantine period. On the other hand, the complex is unique in the many symbols of faith that appear, scattered throughout its parts. All types of crosses are depicted; a medallion with a Greek cross accompanied by the Greek letters iota-chi, and alpha and omega; a medallion with a Latin cross standing on Golgotha Hill with the Greek letters iota-chi and alpha and omega; a large Latin cross standing on Golgotha Hill with two large Greek crosses between its arms; and a medallion with a quote from Psalms. The complex is exceptional in the large number of crosses, the names of the bishops, priest, deacon, and deaconesses who were involved in the construction and decoration or were buried in the complex, and the large number of dated inscriptions.

A Less Known Practice from Olympos Church No. 3 in the Light of Recent Finds: Mosaic Pavement on Wooden Upper Floor

Antik çağın çeşitli tipteki mozaik uygulamaları günümüzde karşımıza çoğunlukla sağlam bir altyapı üzerine zemine serilmiş olarak veya yatak harcı ile duvar ve örtü sistemi yüzeylerine uygulanmış olarak çıkmaktadır. Bununla birlikte Vitruvius’un De Architectura adlı eserindeki zemin yapım talimatları ve bazı az sayıdaki arkeolojik kalıntı sayesinde ahşap üst kat zeminlerinin de konsantre alt katmanlı taş plakalarla veya tesseralarla kaplanabildiği anlaşılmaktadır. Bu yöntem ve uygulama şekli bu tip döşemelerin muhtemelen yaygın olmayışından dolayı arkeolojik verilerin yetersiz kalmasıyla pek fazla tanınmamaktadır.
 Olympos Antik Kenti kazılarında, 3 No’lu Kilise’nin yan neflerinde bu tip bir döşemenin nefler üzerindeki galerilerin zemininde opus tessellatum tekniğinde uygulanmış olabileceğine dair bulgular elde edilmiştir. Eldeki verilere göre kilisenin galerileri, duvarlar ve nef ayrımı tarafından taşınan ahşap kiriş ve kaplama ile oluşturulmuştur. Duvarlardaki kiriş yuvaları ve taşıyıcı sisteme ait yıkıntı bunu açık bir şekilde göstermektedir. Her iki yan nef zemini üzerinde ve nef ayrımına ait yıkıntının hemen altında nef zeminine ait olmayan, parçalanmış durumda mozaik parçalarına, tesseralara ve bunların alt tabakalarına dair kalıntılara rastlanmış olup, bu kalıntıların ahşap konstrüksiyonlu galerilerin zemin döşemesine ait olduğu düşünülmektedir.
 Bu çalışmada Olympos 3 No’lu Kilise’deki bulgular üzerinden ahşap üst kat zeminlerine mozaik döşemelerin nasıl inşa edildiği diğer bazı örneklere de değinilerek açıklanmaktadır.

Technology and Composition of the Mortar and Origin of the Stone and the Smalta Tesserae of the Early Christian Mosaics from Parthicopolis. The Beginning of Database on the Ancient Mosaics from Middle Strymon

The article presents the results of a study on the mortar and tesserae made of marble, sandstone, brick, and smalta in the mosaic pavement of the exonarthex of Basilica No. 2 in Parthicopolis. This basilica served as an important episcopal center in the province of Macedonia I. The methods employed include macro- and micro-analysis, as well as SEM-EDS and XRD analysis of the mineral phases. It has been established that the mosaic was laid on a mortar layer without a statumen and rudus. The study of the mortar revealed the presence of a fine fraction among the tesserae, as well as lumps of lime in the mortar composition, which were reinforced with a fine brick powder. The brick and stone tesserae, including marble and sandstone, originated locally, while the smalta used for the glass tesserae was imported, possibly undergoing secondary processing on-site. The analysis of the smalta composition identified several technological processes, including secondary heating, a significant presence of small air bubbles, and unwanted crystalline impurities. These phenomena likely occurred during the melting, molding, annealing, or secondary processing of sodium-lime-silicate glass. This suggests the possibility of imported manufactured production being remade in situ, demonstrating the utilization of local materials and techniques. The study revealed that the mosaicists possessed a profound understanding of the craft, including a deep knowledge of the underlying processes and a diverse range of technical skills. With this expertise, they were able to successfully achieve the desired result by utilizing local materials.

Canterbury Cathedral, Trinity Chapel: The Archaeology of the Mosaic Pavement and Setting of the Shrine of St Thomas Becket. By David S. Neal and Warwick Rodwell. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books, 2022. xxiii+393 pp. £80.00 cloth.

Canterbury Cathedral, Trinity Chapel: The Archaeology of the Mosaic Pavement and Setting of the Shrine of St Thomas Becket. By David S. Neal and Warwick Rodwell. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books, 2022. xxiii+393 pp. £80.00 cloth.

Vulnerability Analysis of the Cultural Heritage Sites—The Roman Edifice with Mosaic, Constanța, Romania

Heritage monuments are religious, historical, strategic, or civil edifices and could be deteriorated or even damaged due to their exposure to natural and anthropogenic hazards. The Roman Edifice with Mosaic (II-IV A.D.), the largest civil edifice (2040 m2) in Eastern Europe, is an ancient civil edifice built on the steep cliff in the western part of the Black Sea, Constanța, Romania, and is exposed to geomorphological and hydrogeological processes, which are affected by degradation. The main objective of this paper is to assess the current state of this ancient historical site in relation to environmental instability and offer scientific support for the rehabilitation process through interdisciplinary and non-destructive methods. Geophysical methods had been applied to comparatively analyze the spatial variations and flows of groundwater around the Roman Edifice with Mosaic in 2008 and 2019. Geomorphological hazards had already been inventoried and mapped. The results emphasize the state of degradation of the Roman mosaic pavement and ancient walls, mainly through high variations in the deposits’ moisture due to poor maintenance, which caused suffosion, and slip processes, bringing the mosaic into a high vulnerability range. The vulnerability map of the Roman Edifice with Mosaic environment is a necessary tool for continuously improving risk management because it clearly emphasizes the sectors that still have hazards.

Canterbury Cathedral, Trinity Chapel: the archaeology of the mosaic pavement and setting of the Shrine of St Thomas Becket

Canterbury Cathedral, Trinity Chapel: the archaeology of the mosaic pavement and setting of the Shrine of St Thomas Becket

Visual and Physical Degradation of the Black and White Mosaic of a Roman Domus under Palazzo Valentini in Rome: A Preliminary Study.

Palazzo Valentini, the institutional head office of Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, stands in in a crucial position in the Roman archaeological and urban contexts, exactly between the Fora valley, Quirinal Hill slopes, and Campus Martius. It stands on a second-century A.D. complex to which belong, between other archeological remains, two richly decorated aristocratic domus. One of these buildings, the domus A, presents an outward porticoed room with a fourth-century AD central impluvium (open air part of the atrium designed to carry away rainwater) with a black/white tiled mosaic pavement, the preservation status of which is compromised by an incoherent degradation product that has caused gradual detachment of the mosaic tiles. To identify the product and determine the causes of degradation, samples of the product were taken and subjected to SEM-EDS, XRF, NMR, FT-IR and GC-MS analyses. The findings reported in this study can help restorers, archaeologists and conservation scientists in order to improve knowledge about the Roman mosaic, its construction phases, conservation problems and proper solutions.

The Late 4th - Early 5th c. Mosaic Pavements in Philippopolis and Augusta Traiana in Thrace

The present paper deals with the mosaic pavements that embellished the public buildings, semi-public and private houses between the 80s of 4th c. and the first two decades of 5th c. in the two most important cities in late antique province of Thrace - Philippopolis and Augusta Traiana that are unearthed so far. This was a period of great significance for the mosaic development in both cities which though developed in different way until that time, were now united with the use of the full geometrization. Although already entered in the private mosaic pavements in Thrace in the time of the Tetrarchy, the full geometric composition did not receive wide acceptance in the aulae of the private houses and the figural compositions with real emblema or pseudo-emblem are persistent. The inclusion of the Christianity into the new imperial ideology in the time of Theodosius I and Arcadius and the establishment of the symphonia between the State and Church reflected on the importance of the Christian bishop, but also impacted on the stylistic development of the mosaic art in both cities with the abrupt abandonment of any other compositions and motifs than the geometric in order to avoid any link with the paganism and its art. The examples studied reveal that the full, ‘orthodox’ geometric composition and motifs, with humble colouring, were distributed in the private houses of the Christian clergy, while these geometric mosaics with the inclusion of few specific symbols – in the Christian basilicas, related to the liturgical need. It is without any doubt that the mosaic pavements in the Christian basilicas inspired the mosaic pavement decoration of the aulae of the elites in both cities since the middle of 5th c. onward and therefore the Christianity dominating the official and private culture. At last, but not at least are the figural compositions that with the inclusion of specific Christian symbols gained Christian connotation. The present study reveals the still underestimated importance of the mosaic pavements for the study of the development of the political process in Thrace in the Late antiquity and link them with specific historical events as it is attested also elsewhere.

Roma Kolonisi Augusta Firma’daki Kraliyet Sarayı Plaza de Armas’ın Domus I Mozaikleri – Astigi (Écija, Sevilla, İspanya) - I

The Domus I of the Plaza de Armas of the Royal Alcazar of Ecija (Seville, Spain) has been object of archaeological excavations and restoration interventions since 2001, which have revealed that this luxurious urban residence was completely reformed in the Severan period, when several rooms and the central courtyard were decorated with mosaic pavements. The first one in being unearthed was the well-known mosaic of the Satyr / Silenus, with the double representation of these two companions of Dionysus in a single head, thanks to a singular visual play. In 2015 was discovered the so-called mosaic of the Loves of Zeus, which decorate the triclinium of the domus, with several scenes from this mythological cycle, along with Bacchic themes and characters, and the representation of the seasons. More recently, in 2019-2020, the monumental central peristyle of the residence was excavated, which perimetral corridor was covered with mosaic decoration. The thematic represented in the new mosaic is varied, including several planets, meteorological phenomena or the god Dyonisus himself, together with a panel which contained a scene following a hunt –unfortunately, in this case largely lost, but still recognizable–, all framed by a singular geometric pattern. In this paper is offered the first publication of the remarkable mosaic of the peristyle, just discovered.

Bulgaristan’dan Geç Antik Mozaik Döşemelerinde Krismonlar ve Haçlar

The article examines the cases of placing of the Early Christian Christograms/Staurograms and crosses in diverse iconographies and different number on the Late Antique mosaic pavements from the ancient provinces of the present-day Bulgarian lands/ mostly in the Central and Eastern Balkans. The history and the criteria of the cross in Late Antiquity are traced in the Early Christian liturgy, decoration and art, the official and tacit regulations, laws and bans in that aspect, the exceptions and the reasons causing them.

A new predictive skid resistance model (PSRM) for pavement evolution due to texture polishing by traffic

We propose a new model to predict the evolution of pavement skid-resistance due to traffic polishing. The model accounts for polishing (by coupling a contact model with a wear law equation) and friction mechanisms. The contact model considers the tire operating conditions (including load, speed, and slip ratio), the tire geometry and mechanical behavior of the rubber tread, the pavement texture, and the physical properties of contaminants (i.e. the thickness and viscosity of fluids). The wear law considers the types of aggregates in the pavements (particularly their mineralogical composition) and the pressure distribution within the tire/pavement contact area. The friction component considers the mechanical behavior of a rubber measuring pad, the operating conditions during pad/pavement contact, and the pavement texture. The new predictive skid resistance evolution model is a numerical computational code that resolves pavement texture topographies at different polishing stages and the corresponding skid resistance levels. The model outcomes have been validated against repeated profilometer measurements on three mosaic pavements made of different types of aggregates subjected to the “Wehner-Schulz” procedure (that polishes and measures friction). The modeled predictions performed well against the captured changes in pavement textures during the polishing process, with slight differences in their absolute values potentially due to probable limitations of the wear law. The ability to predict the evolution of pavement skid resistance has transformative potential for tailored forecasting and proactive interventions to be undertaken across road networks.

The Impact of Constantinopolitan Liturgy on the Mosaic Pavements in The Christian Basilicas in Thrace During the Second Half of 5th C.

The present article deals with changes that occurred in the arrangement of the mosaic floor decorations of two important basilicas located in the capitals of two provinces in Thrace – the Episcopal basilica at Philippopolis and the basilica at Herakleia, which are both dated to the second half of the 5th c. The study reveals that in these cases the changes were not a purely decorative issue with the introduction of a new trend in mosaic decoration. Instead, these were innovations that reflected the new importance of the areas marked by mosaic decoration, such as the ‘entrance’ in the atrium or narthex and the side aisles and their middle portions. It seems they were part of the introduction of the Constantinopolitan liturgy that emerged after the reassignment of Thrace to the jurisdiction of the Constantinopolitan church pursuant to canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical council at Chalcedon in 451. In order to avoid any misunderstandings, the new sites were marked by specific and clear Christians images. Dating to the second half of the 5th c., the Thracian examples are among the earliest so far attested and reveal the evolution of the Constantinopolitan liturgy before its completion, which is eventually attested in the monuments of the 6th c. in the capital and elsewhere.

The Mosaic Floors of the House of Kyrios Leontis in Nysa Scythopolis (Beth Shean)

The House of Kyrios Leontis in Nysa Scythopolis (Beth-Shean) was partially excavated by two expeditions and at different times, and the mosaic floors have been published only in preliminary publications. Two halls were discovered in the complex. The first hall is decorated with a mosaic pavement of three panels: the Homeric story of Odysseus and the Sirens; beribboned parrots surrounding a dedication inscription; the Nile god, Nilometer, the city of Alexandria, and a Nilotic landscape. The second hall served as a prayer room or a small synagogue. A pair of animals decorated the two entrances, and the hall itself is decorated with populated vine scrolls with animals. Jewish ritual objects appear in the central medallion: the seven-branched candlestick, citron, censer, and ram’s horn. The mosaic floors are inlaid with dedication inscriptions in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, with the names of the donors and prayers for the holy congregation.
 The iconography, incorporating mythological subjects, the god of the Nile and Nilotic landscape, Jewish ritual objects, common animal chase scenes, and the use of the three languages that were customary in Byzantine Palestine, expresses the character of the city of Nysa Scythopolis as a cultural city inhabited by a mixed, well-educated population.

Review of English-Language Research on Iconography of Late Antique Judaism (20th – 21st centuries)

The iconography of late antique Judaism became a research area in the second quarter of the 20th century. Before this time there was no such a large number of murals, mosaic pavements and other artworks available for examination. When scholars started considering monuments from late antique synagogues, they seek to find a relevant approach to studying the phenomenon of Jewish art in this period, its emergence and development. In the course of different periods in historiography of the subject various topics came to the forefront of research and became more important than the others. In the West this scientific area went through several stages in its development, while issues of iconography of late antique Judaism have not been on the agenda of the Russian-speaking scientific community till the present moment. This review of English-language major research seeks to compensate for the lack of a systematic view of the problem in Russian-language science, which is also touched upon in the present work. The subject of the present survey is historiography of Judaism iconography in the late antique period. The most cited English-language works on this subject are systematized in accordance with the periods of historiography and of the dominant direction of research. The review demonstrates three periods of historiography: early period with the stress on description; the second period with the question about existence and affiliation of Jewish art in late antiquity; and the latest period, observed in the present moment, that concentrates on systematic examination of art in general and some objects in particular. There are two main vectors of the study of the subject, which were formed by the end of the 20th century. The first is aimed at exploring symbols within the Jewish cultural paradigm without affecting the surrounding cultures. The second considers the symbols of Jewish iconography as included in the general cultural context of the regions of the Roman Empire, where worldviews were in constant interaction, and sometimes in opposition. Scientists have been developing both of these areas of research until present days. In the 21st century Jewish late antique iconography is an important area of research for Western science, which not only continues the development of problems indicated in the 20th century, but also formulates new ones, corresponding to modern trends in religious studies. The work shall attract the attention of readers to a significant number of little-known and highly specialized texts on the problem of the iconography of late antique Judaism.

The monastery of Eusebius in Khirbet er-Ras (Kefar Truman)

AbstractThe present paper publishes the archaeological remains of a monastery church excavated in 1958 at Khirbet er-Ras (Kefar Truman), Israel. The description of the architectural remains, including the three-aisled basilica and the structures surrounding it, is based on the archival documentation. This is followed by the detailed description and analysis of the church's mosaic pavements, preserved in the nave and in both side-aisles, with special emphasis on the mosaic decoration of the nave's central panel, set as a carpet design made up of florets enclosed by outlined scales, whose Levantine parallels are reviewed. In contrast to the sixth-century CE date proposed in previous reports, the setting of the floor is here placed into the third quarter of the fifth century CE based on Leah Di Segni's palaeographic date of the mosaic's inscription located in front of the sanctuary area. Using this revised date as a springboard for further discussion, a less linear stylistic development of mosaic floors covered by floral semis ornaments embedded in plain and outlined scales is suggested.