''Opus tessellatum'' is the Latin name for the normal technique of Greek and Roman
mosaic
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
, made from
tesserae
A tessera (plural: tesserae, diminutive ''tessella'') is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus.
Historical tesserae
The oldest known tessera ...
that are larger than about 4 mm. It is distinguished from the finer ''
opus vermiculatum
''Opus vermiculatum'' is a method of laying mosaic tesserae to emphasise an outline around a subject. This can be of one or more rows and may also provide background contrast, e.g. as a shadow, sometimes with '' opus tessellatum''. The outline c ...
'' which used tiny ''
tesserae
A tessera (plural: tesserae, diminutive ''tessella'') is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus.
Historical tesserae
The oldest known tessera ...
'', typically cubes of 4 millimetres or less, and was produced in workshops in relatively small panels which were transported to the site glued to some temporary support. ''Opus tessellatum'' was used for larger areas and laid down at the final site. The two techniques were often combined, with small panels of ''opus vermiculatum'' called ''emblemata'' at the centre of a larger design in ''opus tessellatum''. The tiny ''tesserae'' of ''opus vermiculatum'' allowed very fine detail, and an approach to the illusionism of painting. There was a distinct native Italian style of ''opus tessellatum'' using only black on a white background, which was no doubt cheaper than fully coloured work.
''Opus tessellatum'' is usually used for backgrounds consisting of horizontally or vertically arranged lines, but not both in a grid, which would be ''
opus regulatum
''Opus regulatum'' is the Latin name for the normal technique of Greek and Roman mosaic, made from tesserae that are larger than about 4 mm. Tesserae are laid in a pattern like grid or graph paper. The grout lines are aligned both vertically and h ...
''.
See also
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Mosaic
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
*
Mosaics of Delos
*
Opus regulatum
''Opus regulatum'' is the Latin name for the normal technique of Greek and Roman mosaic, made from tesserae that are larger than about 4 mm. Tesserae are laid in a pattern like grid or graph paper. The grout lines are aligned both vertically and h ...
*
Opus sectile
''Opus sectile'' is a form of pietra dura popularized in the ancient and medieval Roman world where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern. Common materials were marble, mother of pearl, and glass. The ...
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Opus vermiculatum
''Opus vermiculatum'' is a method of laying mosaic tesserae to emphasise an outline around a subject. This can be of one or more rows and may also provide background contrast, e.g. as a shadow, sometimes with '' opus tessellatum''. The outline c ...
Notes
References
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Mosaic
Italian mosaic
Roman mosaics
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