Aïcha Ben Abed

Aïcha Ben Abed Ben Khader

Director of Monuments and Sites Aicha Ben Abed

Äicha Ben Abed Ben Khader

As the Roman Empire expanded its African settlements in the early centuries of the common era, thousands of mosaic floor pavements were fashioned to adorn the townhouses and rural estates of the African upper classes. Between the second and sixth centuries, mosaic art blossomed, particularly in Africa Proconsularis, the region comprising modern Tunisia. In contrast to the official art of imperial Rome, mosaics generally expressed the worldviews of private citizens. These artworks are remarkable for the intricate beauty of their polychromatic geometric and floral designs, as well as for figural scenes depicting the interests and activities of the patrons who commissioned them--scenes of daily life, athletic contests, gladiator spectacles, and classical literature and mythology. Abundantly illustrated throughout, Tunisian Mosaics: Treasures from Roman Africa offers the general reader a lively introduction to this extraordinary ancient art. Initial chapters survey the historical background of Roman Africa and discuss the development of mosaic art in the Mediterranean. Subsequent chapters profile Tunisia's major mosaic sites and tour the collections of important museums. A final chapter surveys current initiatives to preserve this heritage for future generations.

Treasures from Roman Africa

Tunisian Mosaics

Martha Demas

Thomas Roby

Reflecting on the Theory and Practice of Mosaic Conservation

Lessons Learned

Jeanne Marie Teutonico

Roberto Nardi

Leslie Friedman

In recent years, funding for the conservation of cultural heritage has become increasingly difficult to obtain, and this trend shows no sign of changing significantly in the foreseeable future. The twelfth triennial meeting of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics, held in Sardinia in October 2014, focused on the theme of cost, broadly considered, relating specifically to the preservation and presentation of the world’s mosaic heritage. This handsome, abundantly illustrated volume provides a comprehensive record of the conference. The volume’s sixty-seven papers and posters, comprising contributions from more than one hundred leading experts in the field, reflect the conference’s principal themes: cost, methods of survey and documentation, conservation and management, education and training, backing materials and techniques, presentation and display, and case studies. Papers are presented either in English, French, or Italian; there are abstracts in English and either French or Italian for all entries. The volume will be of interest to conservators, site managers, and others responsible for conserving the mosaic heritage, especially in these challenging times.

Proceedings of the 12th Conference of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics, Sardinia, October 27–31, 2014

The Conservation and Presentation of Mosaics: At What Cost?

Aïcha Ben Abed

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