| Mosaics are an art form that has been around for | | | | using smaller pieces, the pictures could be more |
| thousands of years. What we recognize as a mosaic | | | | detailed and complex. Mosaics could be found |
| today, pieces of glass or ceramics set into patterns | | | | everywhere from floors to ceilings to even |
| in concrete or grout, had its beginnings in ancient | | | | walkways where mosaics were made from stones |
| Greece. Before that, people made things that were | | | | and pieces of marble. |
| similar to modern mosaics, but were different in a | | | | In due time, the Romans passed their mosaic making |
| couple of vital ways. | | | | skills onto the Byzantines who took it to even |
| Most experts agree that the origins of mosaics | | | | greater heights. The number of mosaics and the skill |
| started in the Orient. One example of this is in | | | | and intricacy involved in them are phenomenal during |
| Chaldean society around 2000 BC. Instead of glass, | | | | this period in Byzantium. With the fall of Byzantium in |
| the Chaldeans used small cones of painted clay that | | | | the 15th century, however, mosaic making fell out of |
| were set into surface of columns for decorations. | | | | favor and was not practiced much if at all until the |
| Fused glass was first discovered by the Egyptians | | | | 19th century. Since then mosaics have persisted in |
| and they began decorating everything with it, | | | | one form or another. |
| including their ships. From Egypt, the use of fused | | | | Today, mosaics are alive and well. It is an easy art to |
| glass spread slowly across the world. Early on, in | | | | learn, but it can take a lifetime of infinite possibilities |
| Greece, mosaics were crafted out of pebbles that | | | | to master. The variations and potential for so many |
| had been worn down in water. The pebbles (or | | | | different pieces is infinite. You can buy items for your |
| ciottoli) were set in the pictures carefully so that | | | | mosaics, including pre-cut tiles or glass. You can use |
| shading and designs were created to make the | | | | broken dishes from around your house, or even |
| pictures more realistic. They also used thin strips of | | | | random items you find such as shells or rocks. |
| lead to highlight and define lines in the pictures. Often | | | | Inspiration is all around you, from historical examples |
| these mosaics were used for floor decorations, so | | | | to more modern mosaic art. Many examples of |
| your entire floor could be one huge mosaic. Not only | | | | ancient mosaics still exist, some of them remarkably |
| was your home more beautiful and interesting, it was | | | | intact and well kept. You could attempt to recreate a |
| functional as well. | | | | drawing or painting that you like into a mosaic, or you |
| By the 4th century BC, the art of mosaics changed | | | | could take a historical example and try to recreate it. |
| greatly. The Romans expanded on and made | | | | The possibilities are endless and the scope of your |
| changes to the art that had been passed on to them | | | | project could be huge or small, depending on what |
| by the Greeks. The Romans began to use smaller | | | | you plan on using it for. |
| pieces of both stone and glass. Because they were | | | | |
