Opus sectile floor on display

Italian restorers have brought to light unique, bright, multicolored marble decorations that even contemporary Romans never got to admire.

The marbles crafted in a technique known as opus sectile, were designed to decorate the floor and walls of an ancient Roman palace more than 1,600 years ago. However, the roof of the palace collapsed during construction and the mosaics remained buried for centuries. . .

Visitors at Rome's Museo dell'Alto Medioevo (Museum of the High Middle Ages) are able to admire the newly restored spendid decorations in a room which recreates the original hall of the palace. The floor and three walls out of four are covered by the marbles.

The marbles represent the only example of an almost totally restored, Roman version of opus sectile.

From Discovery News. The floor was discovered nearly 50 years ago, but recomposing it has taken decades. The Museo dell'Alto Medioevo isn't much visited, as it is situated far from the city center out in the new city of EUR. Incidentally, while the literal translation of "alto medioevo" as "High Middle Ages" is correct, the Italian term denotes what in English is usually called the early middle ages, while the English term denotes what might be called the middle middle ages.

Posted by David on November 10, 2006 3:43 PM