Mosaic art is art created by combining ceramics, glass, stones and other materials of different sizes to create a final work of art. The tradition of mosaic art dates to antiquity, even before the emergence of the Roman and Greek civilizations.
Definition
The mosaic is a surface art form, or a decoration across a surface such as a sidewalk or a wall.
Parts to Whole
The final mosaic is composed of hundreds or even thousands of parts of various sizes. The whole mosaic is a total composition that may be recognized as a specific shape or form.
Ancient Times
Ancient mosaics were composed of tiny pieces of pebbles, marbles and other substances. Each mosaic piece is a cube shape called a tessera or tessela.
Surviving Mosaics
Istanbul, the capital of modern Turkey, is home to ancient mosaics that have survived over many centuries. Some pieces of surviving mosaics are broken or damaged.
Study
Archaeologists, art historians and other scholars analyze pieces of mosaics to determine their age and the materials from which they were made.
