I love seeing things that have survived since Roman times, and the Hull and East Riding Museum has a fascinating collection of items, mainly housed in a recreation town scene.
This 3rd century AD mosaic floor comes from the remains of a Roman villa near the village of Rudston in East Yorkshire. The design is classical but the naive style suggests that it was probably made by semi-skilled craftsmen.
The goddess Venus stands in the centre. She holds an apple in her right hand and seems to have just dropped her mirror. She wears a bracelet on each arm. Beside her is a merman, with the body of a man and the tail of a fish.
A stag, a leopard, a bull and a lion are shown around the edge. They may represent the seasons. Figures, possibly hunters or gladiators, are shown as if rounding up the animals.
It's amazing what can be created with small coloured tiles!
(If money is involved landscape beauty is no isue.)
Fisher Family - ps - I have a free e-book on photography for you on my new site - www.boomertravel.ca
Ian