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Mosaics have quite a history. They are the art of producing designs on a surface by inlaying very closely pieces of marble, glass, tile, or even semiprecious stones.
In Roman times, floors were decorated with mosaics made up of large marble slabs in contrasting colors or of small marble cubes called tesserae. These tessera floors could be large black and white geometrical patterns to large pictorial scenes. Glass mosaics were also used in early Christian basilicas. The height of mosaics was in the 6th century at Byzatium (later Constantinople). Examples of this can be seen in the Hagia Sophia which was decorated by gold mosaics. This process of using gold and colors produced by metallic oxides later reached the West.
By the 5th and 6th century, Ravenna, Italy, became the center of Western mosaic art. With a revival in Italy between the 11th-13th centuries, such mosaics could be found in St. Mark's Church in Venice.
The decline of mosaics in the 14th century was due to another style of art called fresco. By the 19th century modern attempts at mosaics produced a revival which today can viewed at Westminster Abbey in England.
Mosaics can be found all over the world are are important in 20th century Mexico where they continue a pre-Columbian tradition. Examples are also found in Russia, particulary in Kiev. Contemporary examples are also found in Europe, South America, and Israel.
California residents have great examples of this ancient art form in their own back yard by visiting Hearst Castle located on the California central coast.
You can visit the following sites to see examples of mosaics or you can search for your own.
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