The Mosaics with Animals Theme in the Southern Adriatic Between 4th and 6th century A.D.: Decorative and Iconographic Schemes in Comparison

Abstract

The study of the mosaics found on the south-east Adriatic coasts, between Epirus Nova and Epirus Vetus (the current Albania), highlights significant analogies between the animals’ representations depicted on these floors and those represented on the early Christian basilicas or buildings cover floors in Syria, Turkey and in some other important centers of Eastern Mediterranean and Northern Adriatic. The iconographic and the iconological analyses offer new clues to reflect on some well-known models which circulated throughout the Adriatic and the Mediterranean areas between 4 and 6th century A.D., in geometri- cal and figure patterns (Aquileia, Butrinto, etc.), as well as in daily-life patterns (Dyrrachium, Bylis, Costan- tinople, etc.). Also, there are interesting parallels between these patterns and those of the Orpheus mosaics (Ulpiana, Sicily, Sparta, Chahba, Istambul, etc.). The comparisons which will be drawn will enable us to reflect on the connections between Eastern and Western Adriatic areas with important centers in the late ancient era, which the sea does not divide, but rather brings together: such a perspective is viewed as extremely important in the study of the history of coastal countries in the Adriatic, the Mediterranean and beyond