Roman mosaic shapes10/31/2022 ![]() Henrietta Nowne, senior development Manager at U+I, a real estate development firm working to build the site in cooperation with Transport for London (TfL), said that “the Liberty of Southwark site has a rich history, but we never expected a find on this scale or significance.” Location of the Liberty of Southwark site in Roman London (detail) (© MOLA reproduced with permission from Ordnance Survey) The mosaics are thought to be part of residences built between 72 and 160 CE as part of the Roman city of Londinium, founded around 50 CE following the Roman invasion of Britain led by Emperor Claudius. As a detailed timeline shows, the site has been subject to British rule and development since 1107 CE, but it was previously an outpost at the fringes of the Roman Empire. Unearthed by archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), the well-preserved mosaic is the largest to be found in London in half a century. This week, in what is being hailed as “a once-in-a-lifetime find,” a nearly complete Roman floor mosaic was discovered during a planning excavation for the construction of the Liberty of Southwark - a forthcoming mixed-use residential and cultural district in the oldest area of London. We all muddle through life with the dim awareness that our daily goings and doings are preceded by thousands of years of human activity, but it is only rarely that we encounter tangible evidence of this ancient history. If you look closely at the Bear Hunt Mosaic in Roman Mosaics across the Empire you can see an example: the two faces in the far right corners have different styles, colors, and quality, revealing that different hands made them.MOLA archaeologists at work on the mosaic unearthed in Southwark (all images ©MOLA and Andy Chopping courtesy MOLA) Large mosaics were a massive undertaking, requiring the hands of more than one expert. Mosaic artists had different styles, which you can see if you look closely. Partners in the international MOSAIKON initiative are working to improve the conservation, presentation, and management of these mosaics, many of which are still in situ (in their original archaeological locations).ġ5. ![]() Thousands of mosaics still dot the landscape in the Mediterranean Region and North Africa. Cost savings? Not likely, since the style makes an appearance at the villa of Roman emperor Hadrian, who could afford the best of the best.ġ4. In Italy and Gaul (France) in the first century A.D., black and white mosaics came into style-and no one is really sure why. Just like music and fashion today, mosaic styles had their fads. And like the rest of Roman culture, mosaics in different places reveal a combination of local traditions and Roman influence.ġ3. The spread of mosaics parallels the vast spread of Roman power, from France to Syria to Tunisia. The dramatic scene below, for example, shows a lion sinking its fangs into the haunch of a fleeing bull.ġ2. ROMAN MOSAIC SHAPES FULLMosaics are full of drama and violence.Īction scenes, violent hunts, exotic creatures, and angsty mythological episodes are all frequent subjects on mosaics. ![]() The Romans took the art form to the next level by using tesserae (cubes of stone, ceramic, or glass) to form intricate, colorful designs.Ĥ. The Greeks refined the art of figural mosaics by embedding pebbles in mortar. The Romans perfected mosaics as an art form. A mosaic from LACMA’s collection, on view in the exhibition, sports a hunting scene around the border, encouraging you to walk around and look again.ģ. Mosaics are designed to be seen from different angles and to change as your perspective moves. ![]() Enter mosaics: a durable and lavish way to spruce up a room and support foot traffic at the same time. Paintings covered the interior walls of Roman villas, but weren’t practical for decorating floors. Roman mosaics were meant to be walked on. Paul Getty Museum, walked me through some of her favorite facts about mosaics, as well as a few can’t-miss objects in the exhibition.ġ. Large assemblages of mosaics aren’t usually on display at the Getty Villa-no wonder, given that the largest group in the collection is over 600 square feet and weighs 16,000 pounds!Įxhibition curator Alexis Belis, author of the accompanying digital publication Roman Mosaics in the J. ![]() The exhibition Roman Mosaics across the Empire features examples from Italy, France, North Africa, and Syria, some dating back 2,100 years. From dramatic athletic contests to tender portraits of local wildlife, mosaics provide a glimpse at who the Romans were, what they valued, and where they walked. ![]()
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