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View at the museum ↗Mosaic Floor Panel Depicting Marine Life
Ancient Roman200-230
- Attribution
- Roman; Daphne, Turkey, the House of the Man of Letters, room 2
- Medium
- Stone and mortar
- Physical dimensions
- 39.4 × 85.7 × 6.4 cm (15 1/2 × 33 3/4 × 2 1/2 in.)
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. Henry J. Patten
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Source rights statement: Public domain
View the museum record ↗From the museum
Fish was a luxury food among the Romans. Mosaics depicting marine life were especially popular in and around Antioch (near modern Antakya, Turkey), an ancient city located on the Orontes River that was known for the beauty of its waters. This mosaic, which was discovered in a house in Daphne (modern Harbiye), a prosperous garden town near Antioch, depicts several species of fish and shellfish. The representation of these sea creatures was likely intended to convey a message about the owner’s wealth as well as the variety of food available in the home.
Description: Art Institute of Chicago · CC BY 4.0