A BRIEF HISTORY OF MOSAICS

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MOSAICS
by Mike Vitori

HISTORY OF MOSAICS IN BRIEF

Mosaics are one of the oldest and most beautiful forms of art in the history of mankind. Mosaic art discoveries can be dated back to ancient Mesopotamia - more than 5,000 years ago – starting out merely as combination of small pieces of stone or rounded pebbles that had been pieced together.  It’s no secret that the application of mosaics started out as floors and pavement, but given the great age of this form of art, one can only wonder how mosaic designs have evolved over thousands of years.

Mosaic designs have existed all over the world in various ancient civilizations, starting off as unstructured decorations or as pebble pavement. It wasn’t until the 4th Century BC that the Greeks turned mosaics into a structured form of art and for the first time in history, mosaics were produced using precise geometric patterns.  Detailed scenes depicting people and animals were created with great skill and refinement.

After the Romans started taking an interest in mosaic art, the field of mosaics went through a period of great development as they transformed from an exclusive art into a common decorative medium.  By the 8th century, glass tiles and stones in different colors were used to create decorations on pathways, in the celebration of religious scenes, and in domestic themes and geometric displays.  

Although mosaics had appeared in many different places at different times in history, only in Byzantium between the 4th and 14th centuries did it develop into a leading pictorial art.  Mosaic design had started to take on an influence from wall paintings and experienced a great evolution in the use of techniques, materials, and colors.

MODERN MOSAICS

Modern mosaics are made by professional artists, street artists, or by anyone as a popular craft.  The wide variety of material used includes glass, ceramic, traditional stone, and even shells.

Today, we can usually see mosaic tiles on a daily basis in home showers and kitchens, church floors, and palatial houses where they serve the purpose of bringing more color, style, and luxury to a space. The availability of mosaic tiles creates unlimited options for us to restyle our homes and offices.