Floor Mosaic Border with Peacocks (1936.23)
Maggie McCracken, Class of 2025, College of the Holy Cross
The Floor Mosaic Border with Peacocks (1936.23) is located in the Renaissance Court.
This mosaic was part of a floor in an early 500s home in Antioch (southern Turkey). Mosaics are created by arranging small cubes of stone in mortar. The stones in this mosaic are naturally colored, and there are over a dozen hues. Look closely and you can see how the artist laid the pieces: first creating an outline, and then filling in the spaces on either side. The design suggests movement with the ribbon, waves, and living creatures, including two peacocks. This mosaic was laid during the early centuries of Christianity, and its representation of peacocks and grape vines have meaning both in the pagan and Christian spheres. Peacocks and grape vines were associated with abundance and immortality in paganism, and with the rise of Christianity, both of these forms also began to be understood in the context of Christian paradise and everlasting life in heaven.
