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