Mosaic compass rose. 50 cm.

Description

Handcrafted Roman-style mosaic representing a compass rose with the cardinal points.

Diameter: 50 cm.

Stone tesserae mosaic. Handmade in Spain.

Mosaics are pictorial works created with small pieces of stone, ceramic, glass, or other similar materials in various shapes and colors, called tesserae, bound together with plaster or another binder to form geometric or figurative decorative compositions.

This mosaic is currently crafted entirely by hand, following the ancient Roman technique of “opus tessellatum,” a mosaic made of cubic stone tesserae.

In its fabrication, 8mm natural stone and marble tesserae in various colors have been used. It is set on a mortar with a metal structure, prepared to be hung on the wall or used as floor paving.

Mosaic with a compass rose, a star with the four cardinal points, with the West (W) at the top.

The Romans adopted the art of mosaics from Greece and Asia Minor starting in the 2nd century BC, after conquering these regions. This decorative art became so popular that it became an essential element for decorating Roman domus of the wealthy classes. Roman mosaic designs were highly varied, from geometric figures to images depicting natural elements such as trees, gardens, and landscapes, or scenes with human figures based on mythology or domestic life.