Book Description

This book is a concise introduction to the floor mosaics of Roman Britain. It first chronicles the history of mosaic discovery in Britain and discusses the changing attitudes towards mosaics, no longer considered merely art objects but social documents. It deals with the different periods of mosaic laying from the first-century pavements at Fishbourne, of Italian craftsmanship, to the Hadrianic and Antonine periods, when mosaic was first established in the towns. It traces the apparent collapse of the craft in the third century and the remarkable fourth-century revival, when many villas were decorated with sophisticated mosaics, and it examines the probable techniques of the Roman mosaicist by reference to both literary and archaeological evidence. A chapter deals with the recording, conservation and research of mosaics, and a list of sites where mosaics can be seen includes comments on items of outstanding interest. Mosaics are illustrated by photographs and distribution maps show the fourth-century schools of mosaic. There is a glossary of technical terms. About the author Peter Johnson has written and presented numerous papers on Roman mosaics, notably at successive International Colloquia on Ancient Mosaics at Ravenna and Trier. He organised the fifth International Colloquium on Ancient Mosaics held at Bath in 1987 and co-edited the papers published in 1994. In 1978 he co-founded ASPROM, the Association for the Study and Preservation of Roman Mosaics, of which he is Vice-Chairman