You are standing in the large bath hall of Hisham’s Palace. Visitors were welcomed in this bath hall and the special audience hall (Diwan). The bath hall and audience hall were decorated with various patterns of mosaics. Mosaics are decorations in different shapes and forms made out of tiny polished stones or glass. The mosaics of Hisham’s Palace are an example of early Islamic mosaic art. The mosaics you are looking at are made so professionally that some scholars think the mosaics were made by master mosaicists from Constantinople (Istanbul). Other experts are convinced that the mosaics were made by local people from Jericho. Creating mosaics was quite challenging and very time-consuming in the Umayyad period.
1. Why do you think that making a mosaic in the Umayyad period was a time-consuming and challenging job?
The price of a mosaic depends on the size, shape, colours, and different patterns a mosaic has. The more complex the mosaic, the more valuable it was.
2. Have a look at all mosaics. Which mosaic do you think was the most challenging design for the mosaicist to make? Share your thoughts with your team members. What do they think?
Even though creating mosaics like these in the bath house was very expensive, the Umayyad ruler of the palace decided to order them.
3. Why did he make this decision after all, do you think?
The problem with mosaics is that the colours and patterns can fade away with too much sunlight, wind and rain after a long period of time. When the bath hall was excavated, the archaeologists decided to protect the mosaics by pouring sand on them. Another danger for the mosaics is tourists. If too many visitors walk over the mosaics, the pieces of stone or glass will be damaged. Therefore, people are not allowed to walk over the mosaics.
4. How are these mosaics preserved today? Look around you and describe the methods you notice.
5. What is your favourite mosaic design? If you have time, you can draw that design here.
