Lecture 6: Early Roman Floors
A. The First Century B.C. Mosaic Patterns
l. Greek Meander- often used with sectile
2. Imbrication
3. Turret Border- found at Pergamon, Delos, Lykosura
4. Lozenge braid and dentil lozenges and triangles border
5. Solidly filled geometric forms
6. Cancellum
7. Delicate vine borders
8. Rosettes and fleurettes with solid leaves
9. Cube size 0.5 to 1 cm
10. All over patterns of black and white squares and triangles
a. Triangles head to head and tete-beche
b. Squares in squares and lozenges in squares
c. Peltae
d. Checkerboard
e. Interlaced circles
f. Circles with quadrafoils
g. Pinwheel swastika
11. Everyone wants Greek floors but they are expensive
a. Evolve cheaper techniques- scutulatum
b. Seek vivacious all-over patterns like tourists despoiling
traditional art
c. Italy no native tradition of mosaics- not in Etruria
d. Italic tradition is opus signinum- fits with mos maiorum
12. Lucilius- Founder of Roman Satire, born 180 B.C.
Campania
a. Settled in Rome
b. Quam lepide lexeis compostas ut tesserulae omnes arti
pavimenti atque emblemate vermiculati
13. Richest families got originals or Hellenistic
reproductions
a. Alexander Mosaic, Sosos, still lives, dead nature
b. Theater masks, Dionysus, marine scenes, Nile, Homer
For a powerpoint of the lecture click here.