tessera: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	tesserae

Photos

Figure 194: Use of gold tesserae, detail from the Early Christian vault mosaics of Sta. Constanza, Rome, c. 337-354 AD.

Figure 200: Gold tesserae reflecting light to the viewer: from the Byzantine votive mosaic showing St. Demetrios between two donors, from Ayios Dimitrios, Thessaloniki, Greece, 7th century.

Figure 195: Wide-spaced tesserae set at irregular angles in the head of a saint, detail from mosaics in the Chapel of S. Venanzio, Lateran Baptistery, Rome, c. 640 AD.

See All Images →

Topics

mosaic tessellated pavement pietra dura opus vermiculatum opus sectile opus tessellatum commesso pebble mosaic Cosmati work emblema alicatado opus signinum