The Mosaicist of Ostia Antica

At the mouth of the river Tiber, 19 miles to the northeast of Rome, Ostia Antica was the seaport of ancient Rome.

I remember visiting this place 43 years ago with my parents and still have vivid memories of the gorgeous mosaics, frescoes, and of the tombs along the main road into town.

As a port, Ostia was a wealthy city, and lots of mosaics decorated the walls and floors of the homes of rich merchants who usually were running their businesses from their homes, and in order to impress their clients kept lavish reception rooms were they would receive and entertain them. 

Some of these mosaics were representing the business the owner was in. The one underneath decorated the floor outside an office belonging to "the shippers of Sullecthum", a town on the eastern coast of Tunisia. It shows two large sailing ships passing each other at the lighthouse marking the harbour entrance.

Foro delle Corporazioni, Ostia; ca. 200 CE

So there were lots of mosaics in Ostia, and lots of mosaic labourers were needed to build them...

One bas relief sculpture on a wall represents two seated Tagliapietre - stone cutters - cutting tesserae with a hardie and martelina hammer. 

Behind them, the Musivarius - actual mosaic project manager, is telling other workers were to put the stones slabs to be cut by the Tagliapietre.

And how do we know that ?

Simply because of the tools they are using; they are using the same as the ones we still use to this day :

Hardie and Martelina hammer.

Ostia was founded during the 7th century BC. As most of the parts excavated to this day date from the 3rd century BC. This bas relief has been dated between 280 and 270 BC.

So when I cut my tesserae in Alabama in 2014....

I am basically reproducing, 2300 years later, the same moves the Roman mosaicists were performing to cut their tesserae. 

This is a great source of pride and satisfaction. When I reproduce the moves of these ancient masters, I am in communion with them. Beyond time, 23 centuries abolished, my work is a continuity of theirs. 


This is how rituals work, this is why it is important - even though technology has evolved, and sometimes I use different tools - to use the same tools and moves the ancestors used. In this way, their knowledge and expression is revived and transmitted. They live in us. 

"Ubi tu Gaius" Roman Inscription mosaic, work in process - 2013.

When you install in your home a mosaic made in this way; of stone and ceramic tesserae individually cut in the same way our ancestors of Ostia were cutting theirs, you not only bring a piece of art in your home. You bring their knowledge, their experience, their loves, their hopes and fears, in fact you are bringing a little of their whole lives into your home. 

I have always admired Roman Art. The strong personal connection I feel with the ancient mosaicists through my work is a source of great pride and satisfaction to me. Through my own work and creations, I transmit something of theirs. Somehow, they keep living through my work, and I am thankful for their lives and work.

Roman wedding vows mosaic. Granite, Limestone, Ceramics

 
Bring the unique art of the Musivarius in your home. Visit my Web site mosaicblues. You can purchase one existing mosaic or commission a special project. I will work with you to design the perfect piece fitted to your home's unique style. Or if you simply would like to discuss the wonderful art of modern and ancient mosaics, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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Tools : Brick Chisel and Mason Hammer

In a previous post I explained how you can make your own tesserae cutting stands out of standard inexpensive mason tools. 

The traditional Hardie and Martelina have been used for over 2000 years, and they are perfect for the work. 

However, they are expensive, and a Brick Chisel  and Mason Hammer can be substituted for them...

Brick Chisel retails under $10.00

 

Mason Hammer - retails around $20.00

These tools are available at most DIY stores such as Lowes or Home depot - and they are probably even cheaper at your local flea market...

Home Made Martellina and Hardie

The Martellina and Hardie have been used since ancient times and are still one of the preferred methods for smalti & stone. The smalti or stone is placed on the blade of the chisel at right angles and by delivering a sharp blow with the martellina a clean-cut is made.

The Martellina is a heavy hammer with a short handle and sharp edges. Often the chiseled edges of modern Martelina are made of tungsten carbide.

The hardie is a sort of anvil, also with a sharp edge. It is traditionally mounted in a log.

These tools are not cheap. I found today a company selling both for $199 out of Canada.

This is ridiculously expensive. You actually can substitute actual stone mason tools for them...

I built this stone-cutting stand myself and it is fitted with regular mason tools. The Hardie is a classic brick cutting Chisel and the Martelina is a stone mason hammer.

I purchased both tools from Lowes. The Chisel cost me $9.00, and the Hammer was on sale at $2.00 (its regular price should be more like $15.00).

The log comes from a tree I fell last fall. I screwed it on top of an old wooden stool. Basically, the whole thing cost me less than $15.00...

I find using tools of my own design and make is very rewarding. If they cost me 5 % of the regular retail price, it is twice as rewarding...

How to Video : Cut your own stone tesserae.

In this short video I am showing how to cut short cubes (The "tesserae") out of the long strips of materials we cut in the previous video. These tesserae are the actual building blocks of all traditional mosaics. 

As explained in the video, the tools I am using here, the small anvil - the "Hardie", and the special hammer - the "Martelina" are the same tools our Roman ancestors were using to cut their tesserae.

Wearing eyes protection is extremely important. When you work in a dry environment, or cut in a wet environment with a non continuously rimmed blade, stone, ceramic and glass may break and project in small cutting shards that can be very damaging to your eyes. One of these sliced my nose 2 weeks ago when cutting ceramic tiles. A nice little cut on the nose that bled for quite a while. I just do not want to imagine the damage that would have done to my eyes had I not be wearing goggles.

Practice...