Rome
Daily Life
Mosaics
Mosaic Mosaic floors were made by setting small pieces of stone or glass into a layer of cement-like mortar. The Roman mosaic artists used varying colors of stone and the pattern in which they laid the pieces to model three-dimensional looking figures. This example from Rochester depicts Tethys, wife of Oceanus and mother of the river-gods. What has the artist included in her image that tells us she isn't a mortal?
Roman floor mosaics illustrated scenes and figures from mythology as well as decorative geometric patterns.
ODYSSEY HOME NEAR EAST Egypt GREECE ROME

© Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University,
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester and Dallas Museum of Art
For more information please contact odyssey@emory.edu.
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