Loose glass tesserae and lost decorations: chronology and production of mosaics from Gerasa’s Northwest Quarter
New publication by Cristina Boschetti (IRAMAT-CEB), Achim Lichtenberger (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster), Rubina Raja (UrbNet, Aarhus University), Will Wootton (King's College London) and Nadine Schibille (IRAMAT-CEB).
Boschetti, C., Lichtenberger, A., Raja, R., Wootton, W. & Schibille, N. (2021). "Loose glass tesserae and lost decorations: chronology and production of mosaics from Gerasa’s Northwest Quarter", Archaeometry, early preview. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12654
Abstracts
LA-ICP-MS analyses of loose glass tesserae from the Northwest Quarter of Gerasa/Jerash has enhanced our understanding of the dynamics regulating the production and circulation of glass tesserae in second- to eight-century Jordan and the diachronic development of mosaics at the site. The identification of Levantine and Egyptian compositions (Roman-Mn, Levantine I, HIMT, Foy 2.1) proves the continuous production of mosaics, from the second to the seventh century CE. The Levantine I tesserae were made by the recycling and colouring of glass cullet. The gilded tesserae, in contrast, are all of an Egyptian base glass, likely illustrating the import of finished tesserae.