Mosaics at Isthmia, Greece
Another example of little known, or at least little written about, mosaics in Greece. These black and white mosaics at Isthmia, near Corinth, can be about an hour’s drive from Athens.
The site isn’t on the main tourist trail and was virtually deserted the day we visited so I had them all to myself. They are unfenced and you can walk on them which seemed disconcertingly decadent as well as marvellously thrilling that more than a millenium after completion they are sturdy enough to do the job they are made for.
Aquatic motifs
Aquatic motifs keep coming up in Roman mosaics – what better symbol of trade, wealth, food, the fickleness of the nature, the unpredictability of the Gods and the extraordinary beauty of the seas?
Countless people must have sat waiting for months and years for their loved ones to return from long sea voyages and when such a wild and monstrous force dominated your life, it was inevitable that it would turn up in other forms suitably contained, controlled and domesticated.
I am struck by how extraordinarily similar in execution these mosaics are from others on the same theme – of course one would expect creatures from common myths to crop up all over the Roman empire, but why, in some cases, are the same themes actually made in almost the same way? Pattern books? A few specialist mosaic designers who travelled though out the region?
Take this mosaic at the Palazzo Massimo Museum in Rome:
This in Pompeii:
Or this floor mosaic at the House of Italica, Western Andalusia, near Seville:
Terrifying and mysterious as it was, the sea, pristine, crystal clear and teaming with fish must have been more lovely by far than even the loveliest of Mediterranean seas of today. Here’s an example of one in Pelion, Greece, not far from where Jason set off on the Argo:
You’re right ! Coverage of this subject IS hard to find ! I am trying to recollect the title of a book that was in my hometown library & in the Ancient Arts section. In it, mosaics of crests/trademarks of families that were involvolved in the sea trades were shown. Hoping you might have knowledge where I might find an alternate avenue to source them. My friend’s name was Pappaleo, now passed, however, his brother and also a friend, is alive. The crest had a Poseidon figure, sea horses, a few dolphins leaping about and Poseidon had the usual tri-pointed spear. The name associated with the mosaic was something like ‘Pappalao’-close as I can recall. Wondering if you’d have any knowledge of such a mosaic, or a closer focus on the subject, that you might forward to me. I would like to give any resulting learned information to the remaining brother (also a friend), and so for their family-at-large. The funny thing is, that the older friend claimed Greek descent and both brothers have jet black hair and could grow beards from their eye sockets to the waists ! I would appreciate any information you could pass on, and your time in any event, Thanks very much, Mike McCloud
Hello Mike, this sounds very interesting indeed but unfortunately I cant help you at all as I havent come across such a book or such a mosaic but I would be intrigued and interested to know more if you manage to track it down. Do you remember in which country the mosaics of crests/trademarks were located? Your friend’s name does sound rather Greek (the literal translation of Pappa Lao in Greek is father of the people) and the beard growing propensity is a sure sign of some sort of Mediterranean descent! Sorry not to be of more help, Helen.