Romano-British Mosaics

The most famous Roman mosaics are probably those of Pompeii and Herculaneum; in the Roman Empire at large, the mosaics of the Byzantine Empire and Near East (e.g., modern-day Syria) come to mind. However, the the artistic and cultural influences of Rome and the Near East extend to the western reaches of the Empire as well. In fact, the cover photograph of the magnificent Orpheus Mosaic at Littlecote Park (Wiltshire) well illustrates these Near Eastern influences. As with other titles in the venerable Shire Archaeology series, this book offers the general reader a short but reasonably detailed introduction to the many beautiful mosaics that have been found and preserved in England. Author Peter Johnson starts out with the design and construction of mosaics, as well as the materials used. Subsequent chapters discuss the First Century beginnings, Second Century expansion, Third Century collapse, and Fourth Century revival (when many villas were decorated with beautifully crafted mosaics), followed by a listing of important collections of or individual mosaics throughout Britain. As an introduction to the subject of Romano-British mosaics, Dr. Johnson does a remarkable job in just highly readable 64 pages. Anyone wishing to find further information might wish to consult one of the more detailed books on the subject, most notably "Roman Mosaics in Britain" by David S. Neal Roman Mosaics in Britain, or the works of Patricia Witts Mosaics in Roman Britain: Stories in Stone (Revealing History), Margaret Rule Floor Mosaics in Roman Britain, or Anne Rainey Mosaics in Roman Britain.