ROMAN VILLA DEL CASALE OF PIAZZA ARMERINA 3D MOSAICS

Passage Room (15 a-b;1)

These rooms were used as passage rooms to connect the entrance courtyard and spa rooms. The geometric floor mosaic is has a decorated broken meander frame. Its made from a pattern of ellipses arranged diagonally that alternately create squares and octagons with curvilinear sides. Inside the ovals, with a braid pattern acting as a boundary, there is a red wave pattern framing a floral motif. In the squares there are four colored bands with segmented profiles. In the octagons there are ornamental flowers.

Traces of a fresco painting on the southern and eastern walls can be seen. They are organized in a series of square and rectange rectangular panels there is a rod along which a wavy ribbon appears. In each of the ovals there are isolated figures seen.

Private Latrine of the Peristyle (2)

The floor of this private latrine is formed by rectangular or scaled polychrome mosaic tiles. In the center of the mosaic moving counterclockwise is imagery depicting a donkey, a hare, two birds, and a cat. The rendering of the profiles of animals and shadows, often drawn with a curved line, recurs in form and style in other mosaics in the rooms of the villa. The original walls are preserved up to 2.4 meters high. On the west wall there is a rectangular masonry basin covered with grey marble. These occupied the curved side of the space and that of the adjacent walls. The waste waters, to which were added those coming from the garden of the peristyle, flowed into the sewer beneath.

Bi-apsidal Hall (3)

This large room is about 22 meters long and 6 meters wide. The grandeur of the space suggests a public destination. The hall was accessed by two entrances. The southern entrance was for visitors. The eastern entrance was for the Dominus and his family. The floor mosaic is a representation of a chariot race that takes place in the Circus Maximus in Rome. The four factions shown are the factio prasina (green), the russata (red), the albata (white) and the veneta (blue). The story of the race starts in the northern section of the mosaic and moves counterclockwise, including a crash between the green and red chariots and ending with the factio prasina’s win. In addition to the mosaic, this room is the only one to preserve frescoed walls up to almost 3 meters high.

Frigidarium and Massage Room (5; 4a-i)

The Frigidarium is a large octagonal room with 2 swimming pools and 4 changing rooms. Its mosaic has both mythological and realistic imagery. Framed by faux polychrome marbles, a large maritime scene is arranged in a circular fashion. A marine thiaso is in the outer band, and fishermen of Eros are in the inner band. A procession of Nereids and Tritons is around them. Fish are between the linear and zigzagging waves. The theme of mutatio vestis, or “change of dress”, is also seen in the changing rooms.

The Massage Room depicts 5 people arranged within a corded frame. An athletic man can be seen in the center, flanked by 2 attendants. One is preparing to massage the gentleman, while the other has a vial of ointment. The last 2 servants have fabric bands with their names on them.

Tepidarium (6)

This room differs from other rooms due to the presence of the prefurni placed outside the apses and of the suspensurae (brick columns) aimed at keeping the floor suspended. These elements are part of the hypocaustum system used in the Roman baths to reheat the rooms by diffusing heat under the floors. The mosaic floor only has a few features. The northern section shows a lamphedromia, or “running with torches”. 2 images of athletes in motion are seen holding a round shield in their left hands and a lit torch in their right. The lower part of the mosaic shows the end of the race. To the right, 2 runners and a tubicen are seen.On the left, there are the joined legs of an athlete who has finished the race. In front of him is a character with a long tunic with rich ornamental motifs, perhaps the referee.

Courtyard with Portico Entrance (11 a-d)

This large rectangular hall’s mosaic decoration depicts both an official and a service function. The design of the central image is intact only in the northeastern part. It is defined by the patchy polychrome emblem of the central area, bordered by a black and a white band with a red profile inside. The scene represents people wearing plant crowns, ceremonial clothes, and hairstyles from the tetrarchic age. They are divided into groups and arranged in rows corresponding to different shades of color. The upper group depicts higher-ranking figures, the middle is the lampadarius (or ceremonial master), and the bottom is almost completely lost. All are slightly turned towards the right side of the scene, where it is assumed that the dominus was represented on horseback.

Vestibule (18 a-b)

This large rectangular hall’s mosaic decoration depicts both an official and a service function. The design of the central image is intact only in the northeastern part. It is defined by the patchy polychrome emblem of the central area, bordered by a black and a white band with a red profile inside. The scene represents people wearing plant crowns, ceremonial clothes, and hairstyles from the tetrarchic age. They are divided into groups and arranged in rows corresponding to different shades of color. The upper group depicts higher-ranking figures, the middle is the lampadarius (or ceremonial master), and the bottom is almost completely lost. All are slightly turned towards the right side of the scene, where it is assumed that the dominus was represented on horseback.

Quadrangular Peristyle (19a and 19d)

This space, accessed from the vestibule, connects all the rooms of the villa through a colonnaded peristyle overlooking an open-air center courtyard. The well-preserved mosaics have a polychrome geometric design, enclosed within a broken meander frame. The mosaic decoration of the floor runs along the entire room in a band of squares defined by a motif of intertwined ribbons with wild animals seen enclosed in wreaths of laurel leaves. The ends of the squares are decorated with birds and ivy. The direction of the protomes is not uniform along the wide corridor, indicating two paths.

Private Entrance to the Baths (21)

This room is accessed from the quadrangular peristyle (19d) through an opening to the south. The presence of masonry benches, which run along the walls, also explains its use as a vestibule-waiting room, or as an apodyterium. In the white field of the mosaic, framed by a simple black band, 5 figures are represented side by side: they are the Domina - the mistress of the house - her 2 children and 2 maids. The Domina wears a long dress and her hair is gathered in a helmet-like hairstyle. Next to her there are two young men with long hair wearing tunics. At the edges of the group are the two handmaids: one on the left, with a long dress with wide sleeves holding a box, and one on the right, wearing a yellow-golden tunic with red and black bands while carrying a red shoulder bag.

First Service Room (22)

Located on the western side of the quadrangular peristyle (19d), this room has a rectangular plan with a stone threshold entrance. The floor layer, dating back to the construction phase of the villa, highlights its service function through its geometric mosaic. The introduction of the medieval system interrupts the uniformity of the floor. The mosaic is bordered by a marginal flounce and develops a broken Greek frame. The field contains an octagon pattern adjacent to crosses, on the sides with full thread, and an elongated hexagon pattern, on the sides with serrated thread. The geometric decorations are made with different dimensions. The frames of the crosses containing braids, on the north side, are incomplete. The attention to the design of the mosaics confirms the destination as a service environment.

Second Service Room (23)

The use of this room as a second service room is confirmed by the execution of the geometric mosaic. The marginal flounce of the mosaic covering is profiled along the entire perimeter. The central part of the mosaic and a section of the east side are affected by gaps. The decoration appears almost uniformly in black and white, with hints of red or pink in some ornamental background elements. Surrounded by a large black band with six rows, located near the walls followed by a white band, the field is decorated with a pattern of adjacent hexagons with four-pointed black stars of different sizes. The four-pointed stars include a square inside, with a Solomon’s knot in the center. The lack of color and attention to detail in the making of this ornate mosaic make it an oddity compared to the others in the villa.

Third Service Room (25)

This mosaic is partially intact, with large gaps that interrupt the design on the eastern side and in a central strip. It is a polychrome geometric design, with a frame made up from a series of recurring tuning forks. The marginal flounce is arranged with different measures to connect to the irregular walls. The complexity of the compositional scheme unfolds in a field with large eight-pointed stars, which create a series of rhombuses from which squares result. A 2-ply braid decorates these stars, and inside the octagons are bordered by a double thread and decorated with elements like a wavy ribbon crown and a flower or rose. The pattern with two secant squares, octagons and rhombuses can be seen in another room of the villa, the Chapel of the Lares (19a).

First Room of the Private Apartment (26)

This rectangular room was a part of a private apartment that was used by the Dominus or by his guests. There are scarce traces of the original polychrome mosaic that more than likely represented a figurative theme instead of a geometric design. The marginal cliff, interrupted by a partition made in the Arab-Norman age, is made up of small pebbles and gray mortar and retains a small number of tesserae on the slope of the east wall.

Second Room of Private Apartment (27)

Surrounded by a double black border, this polychrome mosaic has numerous gaps unfolding irregularly across the floor. The scene depicted is almost theatrical, and takes place on two registers with 3 couples of dancers. In the upper band, the couple on the left depicts a female figure fleeing from a young man, who was in the large gap to her left. The central couple, is followed by a young man in the act of grabbing a girl by the waist. The last couple has a part of the head of the male figure and the joined legs of the young woman who is presumed to be dragged. The last iconography is incomplete forestry. This mosaic is believed to represent a dance enacting a kidnapping and perhaps, or the rape of the Sabine women, or a pyrrhic dance that evoked mythological subjects.

Third Room of Private Apartment (28)

The mosaic in this room depicts the four seasons - Winter, Autumn, Summer, and Spring – in a series of medallions with figurative decorations inside. The geometric polychrome mosaic is framed by a series of perspective cubes with a pattern of secant hexagons and six-pointed stars. Some medallions also contain fish or birds. The comparison between the animal imagery and the seasonal designs could suggest that this room was utilized as a dining room, as well as the abundance of prosperity for the villa’s Dominus. The seasonal images and wealth of earthly goods could also suggest a theme of victory over time, and if combined with the imagery in the next room (29) also suggests a theme of the eternity of love.

Fourth Room of Private Apartment (29)

This polychrome mosaic is in good condition. It depicts an idyllic landscape of symmetrically arranged cupid fishermen. The foreground of the mosaic shows a marine view with thick underwater vegetation, and the background has a villa with a large portico. The realistic portrayal of the architecture follows the semicircular inlet of the rocky shore. The rest of the scene takes place at sea and is occupied by 4 boats, decorated with similar colors as the villa and adorned with different geometric motifs. Each boat has 3 cupid fishermen inside marked with a black “V” on the forehead – a distinctive sign of the tetrarchic era. The detail of the cupid fishermen being depicted without wings shows the tendency to humanize fantastical figures in these mosaics.

The "Little Hunt" Mosaic (30)

This stateroom of the villa displays a multi-register mosaic entitled “The Little Hunt”. The entire mosaic is enclosed by 3 intertwined ribbons flanked by 2 serrated frames on the exterior and 2 wavy white and blue ribbons. The 1st register depicts the departure for hunting and the pursuit of a fox. The 2nd shows the transport of a captured wild boar, and a scene of sacrifice and offering to Diana. The 3rd register depicts an open-air banquet under a large red tent and 2 hunters with falcons. The 4th register shows a breakfast scene flanked by depictions of a fox chased by the dog and the capture of a hare. The 5th register displays a deer hunt with nets. In the lower right corner there is the killing of a wild boar, and a wounded hunter on the ground.

2 Service Rooms, North Master Apartment (31,32)

These mosaics are almost intact, with only a few small gaps. The first mosaic is framed with arches on a dark background. It is a polychrome mosaic that is brightly decorated with geometric motifs. Ribbons formed by a 2-colored braid create a pattern of curvilinear octagons. Inside of the octagons is a jagged crown housing a floral motif. These octagons form rounds containing a broken Greek crown. The flow generates almond shapes arranged in crossed lines. The second mosaic is a geometric pattern that adapts to the structure of the walls. There is a crenellated dentello frame, with a triple thread outlining the perimeter based on a checkerboard pattern. Some squares are surrounded by a 2-ply braid, while their centers have another square with double black thread.

First Service Room of South Master Apartment (33)

The geometric pattern of this mosaic is characterized by a checkerboard pattern, with squares divided by white bands that host hourglass motifs. These are interspersed with small flowers shown through two-tone rhombus shapes, a mill blade motif, and flowers with four almond-shaped petals. Sections are outlined by a spaced Greek frame with sloping colors, within which various geometric and floral motifs alternate. This type of mosaic design is very common in the Mediterranean area between the third and fourth centuries A.D.

A water pipe ran east to west below the floor, damaging the mosaic over time. This created a patchy band along the floor. After restoration work, the canalization can still be traced to the height of the manhole, which is still present in the floor today.

South Master Apartment "Gym Room" (34 a1-a2)

This mosaic has been changed over time from a geometric style to a figurative style. This was likely due to water damage from pipes below the floor. Instead of repairing the original pattern, new designs were implemented. The geometric design is a perspective cubic frame around a pattern of eight-pointed stars containing a circular cord motif with floral designs. The figurative designs show female athletic figures (known as “the girls in bikinis”) arranged on two registers enclosed by a triangular frame. These women are depicted as competing in gymnastics events, and their “bikini” outfits were common suits for this. Events include a long jump, weight lifting, disc throwing, and the winner being given a victory palm and a crown of roses.

Apsidal Room, "The Dieta of Orpheus" (35)

The mosaic is disfigured by large gaps, but the scene can still be recognized. This mosaic is enclosed by a laurel-leaf frame running along the entire perimeter of the room. It depicts Orpheus, a mythical singer and poet, dressed in a large drapery. He turns his gaze to the distance, as if to seek poetic inspiration. Thanks to the sweet sound that his zither spreads, of which only a small tract remains, animals of all kinds gather around him. I appears to depict a section from Ovid’s Metamorphosis 142-143: “Such was the wood attracted by the poet, who sat in the maze of a flock of beasts and birds”. This mosaic puts the diaeta of Orpheus in dialogue with the room of Arione (41) by following the same apsidal structure. In both rooms, the triumph of virtue and reason over animal violence is recognized.

Corridor of "The Great Hunt" (36 a-c)

This long hallway mosaic depicts a scene known as the “Great Hunt”. It celebrates the apotheosis of imperial power through the capture and transport of exotic animals for games in the Roman amphitheater. This is represented across 7 scenes: they are divided into three registers: the upper band with a wild or urbanized landscape background, the central band by genre scenes with chases between animals, and the lowest band depicting the capture and transport of animals. The protagonists of the registers are three types of characters: military hunters, servants and transport workers, and officials. Other details include the personification of Mauretania, depictions of Italy as “the land between two seas”, and other regions of the globe like North Africa, Ethiopia, Carthage, Rome, and Egypt.

Antechamber of the North Master Apartment (37)

This room can be accessed from the ambulatory of the “Great Hunt” mosaic. It has a square plan with the function of anteroom and hallway for the other rooms of the apartment, and is hypothesized that it was intended solely for the Domina, or for the eldest son of the Dominus, or even used by the landlord as a private studio. The mosaic, bordered by a double braided frame enclosed by serrated bands, depicts Odysseus (Ulysses) in the cave of the cyclops Polyphemus. This section is narrated in Book IX of the Odyssey and represents the moment in which Odysseus, wearing the large red cloak and a short tunic, is offering a cup of his best wine to Polyphemus in order to get him drunk and later to blind the cyclops while sleeping.

Apsidal Room, North Master Apartment (38a-c)

This private room contains a mosaic with seasonal fruits depicted. The mosaic’s geometric design consists of 9 large 12-pointed stars that create a series of rhombi with bands of alternating colors, and octagons decorated with shaded flowers. Representations of xenia are inscribed in laurel medallions containing various types of autumnal fruit, including yellow melons, a watermelon, cedars, a pomegranate branch, bunches of grapes, figs, chestnuts, apples, and pears. In the floor of the apse, within a frame of intertwined ribbons, a geometric motif of scales outlined in black on a white background develops, in each of which a stem with a bud, perhaps a rose, is inserted. There would have also been a figurative scene that has been almost entirely lost, with only parts of 2 cherubs remaining.

Cubicle with Alcove (39a-c)

This room was more than likely a bedroom. It’s mosaic is almost completely intact. In the main compartment within a frame known as a “wolf’s mouth”, is an elaborate geometric motif defined by a pattern of dodecagons, hexagons, and stars. The four seasons are portrayed around the dodecagon. Female theatrical masks also surround the dodecagon above laurel wreaths. In the center of these designs, inside a green laurel wreath, is one of the most famous scenes in the villa: two young people exchanging a kiss in a loving embrace. In this mosaic the seasons and masks are juxtaposed with the young couple symbolizing the eternity of love. The two lovers were also interpreted as the mythological figures of Eros and Psyche, and their mythical marriage symbolizes immortality.

Semicircular Porch (40)

This well-preserved mosaic extends over the surface of the portico within a particularly elaborate frame, consisting of a band in imitation of brecciated marble. The scene depicts a series of cherubic fishermen in pairs on six boats while two cupids are immersed in the water. Along the perimeter a horizon is outlined made up of a succession of villas with large rectilinear arcades, behind which a dense and diversified Mediterranean flora develops. The cherubs, represented naked or dressed in a short tunic, are all distinguished by the classic “V” or “U” sign on the forehead. The waters are populated by numerous fish of different species such as groupers, squids, mullets, torpedoes, seahorses, lobsters, dolphins, eels, moray eels, and two wild ducks that swim in the center while a cherub tries to grab them.

Apsidal Room, "Arione Room" (41)

This mosaic spans across the hallway and is almost entirely preserved. Bordered by a double plastic meander frame, a marine thiaus similar to that of the Frigidarium is seen. The marine procession depicts Ittiocentaurs, Tritons, Nereids, and a variety of aquatic and terrestrial animals. In the center of the mosaic, the figure of Arion stands out, playing a heptachord zither while riding a dolphin. Above him, 2 cherubs in flight take up the drapery of a nymph lying on the rocks listening to music. Other mythical beings can be seen in the waters of this large painting, depicted with waves marked by straight or zigzag lines. In the apse area, there is a monumental figure of Ocean, father of all waters, surrounded by a rich marine fauna.

Antechamber of the South Master Apartment (42)

The surface on which the mosaic unfolds, almost entirely preserved, has an accentuated slope towards the east that has given rise to some gaps. The scene is bordered by a black frame and a geometric decorative band. This mosaic depicts the struggle between Eros, in the form of a child, and the savage Pan. The two contenders clash in the presence of Silenus. This scene is followed by two groups of figures, placed behind the two protagonists. Following Eros are two children wrapped in a soft himation and three women - possibly the Domina, a handmaiden, and a third woman. Pan is accompanied by mythical figures linked to the Dionysian circle, including 3 Maenads and a Satyr. The Satyr bears a pedum, and is pointing to the prizes available for the winner on the table in the center of the mosaic.

Cubicle with Alcove (43a-b)

This lively mosaic is divided into 3 registers, and is bordered by a crenellated dentello motif with florons. In the upper register, a boy strikes a hare with a venabulum. A second child stretches a hand forward. In the middle register, the children appear to be attacked by a rat and a rooster and are seeking help. In the lower register the hunting theme is resumed with a child hunting a peacock. The alcove mosaic is also in 3 registers. The first register shows 2 girls, possibly coronariae, picking flowers to place in wicker baskets. The second register shows a noble woman holding the ribbon of a woven wreath in her left hand while she picks up a flower from a basket. A young girl also holds up a basket of flowers. The last register shows a boy carrying 2 baskets of roses on his shoulders.

Antechamber of the Apsidal Room S. Main Chamber (44)

The mosaic surface is well preserved and shows only slight gaps and a tear in the northeast corner. It depicts a race of floats pulled by birds and led by children richly dressed in the colors of their respective stables. The scene is bordered by a broken meander frame enclosed by two thick black bands. This mosaic is similar to that of the chariot race in the bi-apsidal hall (3), including the same colors for factions. There is also a central obelisk, seen from an angular perspective, and two metae, which close the ends around which the four small charioteers run, each for their own faction. The chariots are pulled by pairs of colored birds, and overall the scene has been interpreted as symbolic of the alternation of the seasons and the cyclicality of time.

Apsidal Room of South Master Apartment (45a-b)

This room is considered the most important room inside the manor apartments. In it, 5 scenic representations are depicted with different themes. In the first section (45a), the upper register shows the final moment of a performance by musicians. The second register depicts 2 girls, with many sections lost. The last register reveals the lower part of a pair of tragedy characters. The first, a female figure, holds a mallet for the tympanum placed on a double step base. The second is a young poet reciting verses to a girl. The apse of the room shows a still legible mosaic set against a background with cut shoots full of roses (45b). At the center of the scene is a lady and a girl, sitting on overturned baskets and making garlands with rosebuds. v

Ovoid Peristyle and Adjoining Rooms (46, 47, 49)

This large portico with its two adjoining rooms was meant to welcome visitors. The mosaic is minimally preserved on the northeastern side, but what can be seen shows a polychrome design in a herringbone pattern that could have been implemented to evoke the movement of water. The rest of the mosaic is delimited by a triple thread and depicts acanthus shoots developing from red and pink peltas that enclose different sizes of wild animals or birds in a spiral pattern. Rooms 47 and 49 have mosaics depicting the production of wine and fishing. The triclinium-peristyle-nymphaeum sequence represents the most original and functional design of the late antique residence, providing a large space for banquets, for strolling, and for leisure.

Antechamber on N. Side of Ovoid Portico (47)

It is assumed that this area could be frequented by guests or by the staff of the large estates who did not have access to the main rooms of the domus. The mosaic has large gaps in the middle and left side branching downwards, however the scene can still be seen. It depicts Dionysian themes similar to those in the Triclinium (57) and in the adjoining room (49). Within the mosaic, the process of transport and pressing grapes is seen. It begins with 2 wagons pulled by oxen, both overflowing with grapes. Cherubs can also be seen supporting objects related to the grape harvest. From there, the upper register depicts the pressing of the grapes by 3 putti that almost appear to be moving in a dance-like rhythm. On the sides, cherubs move towards the center carrying a basket and a seedling.

Second Room on Northern Side of Ovoid Porch (49)

This rectangular room could have been frequented by guests or by the staff of the large estates who did not have access to the main rooms of the domus. It was used to lay down clothes before entering the triclinium, as a secondary refreshment place, or to sleep in. The mosaic depicts cupids cutting grapes in a field. They are surrounded by thick vegetation, and adorned with necklaces, bracelets, and armillas. They can be seen cutting the grapes with a billhook, or filling baskets full of berries. Their foreheads, marked by a “V” or a “U”, put them in relation with contemporary examples of the Tetrarchic period. The older figure within a wave frame has his head surrounded by a branch of vine leaves. On the still visible piece of mosaic, he wears a hazelnut-colored cloak and has a gnarled cane.

Entrance from the Square Peristyle (53)

The room was considered an official passage area for guests. In it, the mosaic depicts a kantharos on a white background with a black double-threaded frame. From the large truncated cone shaped container, two acanthus spirals with a heart-shaped apex emerge symmetrically. The small mosaic fragment preserved to the west contains four forepart of animals. The volutes, embellished with a vermilion ribbon, originate from large bi-colored pelt-shaped tufts and host, in the resulting lozenge-shaped areas, flowers and birds. This decorative acanthus head pattern covers the rest of the mosaic ornament and echoes, by contiguity, the same subject represented along the arms of the elliptical courtyard above.

Triclinium Triabsidate (57 a-g)

This room is considered, after the basilica hall, the most regal and eloquent of the late antique residence due to the dynamism and sumptuousness of its architecture. The mosaic floor is divided into different scenes. In the central hall (57a) Hercules’ 12 labors are represented on different registers. In the northern apse (57c) Hercules is accompanied by Dionysus and is taken into Olympus by Zeus. In the north (57b) we see Daphne and Cyparissus transformed, respectively, into laurel and cypress. To the south (57e) the myth of Lycurgus is told as he tries to kill the nymph Ambrosia. She is saved by the intervention Maenads and Dionysus. Continuing east (57f), on the right is either Hesion or Andromeda with Endymion. In the apse facing the entrance (57g) are the Giants, pierced by the arrows of Hercules.

The Basilica (58 a-b)

The basilica is considered the most important place of public use, used for where the dominus held his functions.

The rectangular hall (58a) is made up of partially preserved polychrome marble slabs spread over 7 bands with an east-west orientation. The marbles come from multiple Mediterranean regions. They contain squares and rectangles of different sizes. In the center of the room, a square, with concentric circles placed inside it, breaks the regularity of the pattern.

In the apse (58b) a larger square is visible with 4 circles placed in its corners. The rest of the mosaic has an irregular decorative motif, but in front of the throne there is a circular inlay. This is assumed to host a porphyry rota, but only parts of the concentric frames decorated with a wavy branch motif and lilies remain.

Polygonal Restroom (59)

This octagon-shaped space is located between the walls of the eastern aqueduct and the east wall of the apsidal hall (41). Its proximity to the south main apartment and the triclinium (57) suggests that it was usually used by the dominus and his family, and by guests on special occasions such as banquets.A sewer, located just over a meter from the entrance, was used for the disposal of water. A well-kept water supply system also reached the basin placed at the foot of the wall located to the right of the door. It is decorated with bas-reliefs of acanthus leaves and inlays with a plant motif. The floor mosaic depicts a succession of white mosaic tiles outlines on a dark field. The shape of a large podded kantharos is en. The shoots open symmetrically across the floor’s surface.