When commissioning a mosaic, the goal was for the design to express the owner’s affiliations within the structure of the Empire. Not only were myths timeless and familiar, they also reflected the patron’s knowledge, education, and sophistication. Popular subjects in the Empire included scenes of daily life such as hunting, fishing, circus races, and gladiator games. Because of the expense and longevity, the patron was very particular in choosing what was to be depicted. Once completed, however, a mosaic required little special care and could be expected to last a lifetime. They were also expensive since the master mosaicist and his assistants had to work on site. It comes as no surprise that mosaics like the “North Carpet” required an inordinate amount of time to execute. Tesserae were made of marble, stone, tile, or glass, and measured between three-sixteenth of an inch to nine-sixteenth of an inch. Remarkably, this big “carpet” is entirely constructed of tiny pieces of rough-shaped cubes called tesserae set in a fine mortar. Its extensiveness may not register until one actually stands in front of it. The Lod Mosaic’s “North Carpet” is very large - 50 x 27 feet. Though the room’s exact function remains a mystery, it was definitely one of the villa’s public spaces. The Lod mosaics were placed in what might have been a dining area, large reception hall, or banquet hall. They were used to decorate high traffic areas like baths and markets while Romans of the elite also utilized them to ornament their homes. By the Roman era, mosaics were just as durable but had become more prestigious and much more costly. These types of mosaics were seen as an affordable and durable way to decorate a floor. It had humble beginnings with early examples often simply featuring pebbles pressed into clay or plaster. It is an old art form that was popular in both ancient Greece and Rome. Mosaics are some of the best-preserved type of Roman art and examples have been found wherever the Romans conquered. It was the practice to introduce the finer aspects of Roman life to the Empire’s colonies and holdings, no matter their proximity to or distance from Rome, the center and métropole. The villa was built and the mosaics installed about a century after the city had been elevated to the status of Roman colony, likely reflecting a process of Romanization. Sitting as it did along several busy roads, Lod/Lydda/Diospolis was populated by residents and visitors of diverse backgrounds. Beyond a few mentions in rabbinical texts, however, there is little documentary evidence about the city itself, which was called Lydda in the ancient period and Diospolis by the Romans. Lod was probably in its prime during that epoch. The villa and mosaics date between the third and fourth centuries CE, which corresponds to the period of the Late Roman Empire. The “North Carpet” and “Vine Scroll Frieze” were excavated from a large Roman villa in central Israel. Installation shots: Photo courtesy of the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum. 300 CE, excavated at Lod (Lydda), Israel, stone tesserae, Photo © Israel Antiquities Authority. Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel (detail), Roman, c. I was amazed by their size, awed by the intricacy and detail, and overwhelmed by a sense of history and authenticity. Several things struck me the first time I stood before them. I had not seen the pieces in person until I walked into the gallery where they are displayed. I have read about the Lod mosaics and had, of course, looked at photographs. Until now the “Vine Scroll” has never left Israel. What makes the South Florida exhibition special is the addition of the “Vine Scroll,” a wide band, or frieze, which was part of the mosaic series unearthed in 1996. The Lod Mosaic exhibition at the FIU Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum includes a large carpet mosaic, the so-called “North Carpet,” which has previously visited the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Hermitage, among others. Because of the fragility and rarity of pieces from ancient eras, they hardly ever leave their home institutions. Although my teaching touches on more recent artistic periods, it mainly focuses on Ancient Greek and Roman art, which are not as easy to find in the Miami area. As someone who teaches art history, I encourage my students to venture out and see art face-to-face, and, if they like modern or contemporary art or works from Latin America or the Caribbean, the opportunities for such interaction in South Florida are plentiful. Miami is an art city populated by museums and galleries both small and large. 300 CE, excavated at Lod (Lydda), Israel, stone tesserae.
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