Tessera, mosaic pavement
Production date
Aug 0079
Country
Italy
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Object detail
Description
15 white tessera and one black tessera, from a Roman mosaic pavement.
Classification
ARCHAEOLOGY Roman masonry fragment
Production date
Aug 0079
Production place
Measurements
L8-9mm x W7-9mm x D6-7mm
Media/Materials description
Stone
Indeterminate (Rocks) - possibly marble, limestone, tufa and granite
Indeterminate (Rocks) - possibly marble, limestone, tufa and granite
History and use
Floor mosaics made of tesserae (small stone cubes) provided a personalised decorative element to buildings. Floor mosaics made of tesserae (small cubes of stone, pottery or glass) provided a personalised decorative element to buildings. They were pressed into soft cement to create patterns and images. This was a popular decorative feature in Roman buildings and houses.
Black tiles on white backgrounds became popular and quickly spread from Rome. The 4th century AD saw mosaics transform, with hunting and mythological scenes and floral and geometric designs common. Floor mosaics declined with the advent of wall mosaics around the 6th century AD. Designs could be made using a pattern book, and floors could either be laid in place or using pre-made sections in large square frames.
Black tiles on white backgrounds became popular and quickly spread from Rome. The 4th century AD saw mosaics transform, with hunting and mythological scenes and floral and geometric designs common. Floor mosaics declined with the advent of wall mosaics around the 6th century AD. Designs could be made using a pattern book, and floors could either be laid in place or using pre-made sections in large square frames.
Registration number
H5920
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