This publication is engaged in issues, trends, and themes depicted on mosaic pavements discovered in Israel, the Gaza Strip and Petra (the provinces of ancient Palaestina Prima, Secunda and Tertia) with comparable floors in Jordan (Arabia). The majority of the mosaic pavements discussed in this study are dated to the 4th-8th centuries CE. Mosaic pavements were the normal medium for decorating the floors of synagogues, churches, monasteries, and chapels, as well as public and private buildings. Inscriptions found on many of the pavements commemorate the donors, refer to the artists, and sometimes date the mosaics. The ornamentation of the mosaics in this region is remarkable, rich, and varied in its themes and provides many insights into the contemporary artistic and social cultures.
In 1988 the GCI and the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus agreed to conserve an important floor mosaic excavated in 1984–1985 in Paphos, Cyprus. The mosaic, which depicts Orpheus and the Beasts together in a single panel, is representative of an iconographic tradition common throughout the Mediterranean Basin. It is unusual, however, in that Orpheus is shown with his arm outstretched, and is further distinguished by an inscription naming the person who commissioned the work, a feature not present in any other Roman mosaic in Cyprus. Although the mosaic was in generally good condition when excavated, root damage had dislodged much of the tessellatum from its setting-bed and also had created several large lacunae. Subsidence caused by partial support of the mosaic on an underlying wall became more pronounced after excavation, and cracking appeared. For this reason, the mosaic was lifted, provided with a new support, and replaced in situ. The decision was made to lift the tesellatum by rolling it onto a drum rather than by cutting it into smaller sections, respecting the single pictorial composition of the work. The project included training in this relatively unusual technique for conservators from the region. The Conservation of the Orpheus Mosaic at Paphos, Cyprus, chronicles each element of the project, including the evaluation, documentation, detachment, reinstallation, and cleaning of the mosaic. It includes a clearly illustrated, step-by-step discussion of the procedures used to roll the mosaic and to install its new support system of fiberglass and aluminum. Environmental monitoring, analysis of tesserae samples, and the development and evaluation of a protective shelter are also covered, along with historical and iconographic material on this remarkable mosaic.
This book provides a comprehensive account of mosaics in the ancient world from the early pebble mosaics of Greece to the pavements of Christian churches in the East. Separate chapters in Part I cover the principal regions of the Roman Empire in turn, in order to bring out the distinctive characteristics of their mosaic workshops. Questions of technique and production, of the role of mosaics in architecture, and of their social functions and implications are treated in Part II. The book discusses both well-known works and recent finds, and balances consideration of exceptional masterpieces against standard workshop production. Two main lines of approach are followed throughout: first, the role of mosaics as a significant art form, which over an unbroken span illuminates the evolution of pictorial style better than any comparable surviving medium; and secondly, their character as works of artisan production closely linked to their architectural context.
This book first examines the figure of Orpheus in Graeco-Roman art and culture before exploring how he has been employed in late antique mosaic. Wide-ranging with lots of line-drawings and photographs.
In recent years, funding for the conservation of cultural heritage has become increasingly difficult to obtain, and this trend shows no sign of changing significantly in the foreseeable future. The twelfth triennial meeting of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics, held in Sardinia in October 2014, focused on the theme of cost, broadly considered, relating specifically to the preservation and presentation of the world’s mosaic heritage. This handsome, abundantly illustrated volume provides a comprehensive record of the conference. The volume’s sixty-seven papers and posters, comprising contributions from more than one hundred leading experts in the field, reflect the conference’s principal themes: cost, methods of survey and documentation, conservation and management, education and training, backing materials and techniques, presentation and display, and case studies. Papers are presented either in English, French, or Italian; there are abstracts in English and either French or Italian for all entries. The volume will be of interest to conservators, site managers, and others responsible for conserving the mosaic heritage, especially in these challenging times.
Preliminary material -- INTRODUCTION -- EDESSA'S HISTORY AND CULTURE -- THE SOURCES FOR THE STUDY OF EDESSA'S RELIGION -- THE CULT OF NEBO AND BEL -- THE CULT OF ATARGATIS -- THE CULT OF SIN LORD OF THE GODS AT SUMATAR HARABESI -- THE CULT OF AZIZOS AND MONIMOS AND OTHER ARAB DEITIES -- EDESSAN RELIGION, PAGANISM IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE, AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY -- INDEX -- LIST OF PLATES -- PLATES I-XXXIV.
The Roman Villa in Britain (1969) is a comprehensive examination of Roman villas in Romano-Britain in a series of essays by six specialists. H.C. Bowen, well-known for his work on early field systems, examines the evidence for the native Celtic agriculture which was practised in pre-Roman Britain and continued to form the basis of the country’s economy after the conquest. The ground plans of the villas, and their implications, are discussed by Sir Ian Richmond, while David Smith considers the mosaic pavements, both as implications of the wealth of their owners and as evidence for the existence of distinct local schools of mosaicists; Joan Liversidge deals with internal decoration and furnishing. A.L.F. Rivet reflects on the social and economic implications of the changing fortunes of the villas, and Graham Webster discusses the future of villa studies from the standpoint of the modern excavator.
