Excursion to the Ancient Roman Mosaics of Verona:
Roman mosaic is an art that developed from the 4th century BC and reached its peak in the 1st-2nd centuries AD. This concept includes the creation of compositions from small pieces of stone, glass (tesserae), and sometimes other materials. Such mosaics adorned architectural objects: villas, temples, baths, and even road surfaces.
Creating a mosaic required outstanding skill and meticulous work, as each tile was placed precisely in its position. Mosaics were not just a way to create decorations for aesthetic enjoyment. They also served to convey cultural and religious values. Today, they are important archaeological finds and sources of information about life in ancient civilization. Decorative patterns and ornaments characteristic of Ancient Roman architecture, which flourished from the 4th century BC to the 5th century AD. These ornaments included geometric shapes, plant elements, abstract compositions, images of animals and gods, as well as scenes from mythology and history. Such ornamentation can be part of mosaic compositions, as mosaics were one of the popular ways to create decorative elements. Thus, mosaic and Roman ornaments are closely intertwined. “Mosaic ornament” is a more specialized term that focuses on creating decorative compositions specifically from fragments of stone, glass, and others.
In Verona, beautiful colored mosaics from the ancient Roman era have been preserved, and they can be seen not only in museums but also in the basements of many buildings. Where the Nogara square is now, there used to be an ancient Roman villa. Descending into the underground rooms beneath the bank building, you will see for yourself – a beautiful mosaic was discovered during excavations. The ancient Roman mosaic is hidden under the Palace of the Captains (2nd-4th centuries) and in the basement of St. Helena’s Church, and in the corridor of the Cathedral (4th century). Recently, a mosaic floor from the third century (200 AD) was also found near Verona. The mosaic was buried under several meters of soil, in a place where vineyards spread out.
If you want not only to visit these places but also to learn about the technique of mosaic production, at the end of the excursion you can visit a mosaic-making laboratory and get acquainted with different types of mosaics (ancient Roman, classical, and modern), trace the evolution of mosaics, the development of its styles, the use of various materials (stone, glass, enamel), and see live tools and techniques of execution (direct or from the back of the paper). Visitors to this laboratory can try to create a piece themselves in the mosaic technique (this takes 1 – 4 hours).
