Paintings in Stone: The coloured figurative mosaics of Roman North Africa

presented by Tony O’Connor

Between the 2nd and the 4th centuries CE, the mosaic workshops in the cities of the Roman Provinces of Africa (modern western Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco) excelled in the production of high-quality coloured figurative and geometric pattern mosaics to decorate the private and public buildings of the social elite. This illustrated talk examines the themes and messages portrayed in these mosaics and how they would have been read by their audiences.

Tony O’Connor, an archaeologist, museum professional and highly experienced tour lecturer, has led tours throughout the Middle East, Italy, Croatia and North Africa, in particular, Algeria and Tunisia. With an honours degree in Ancient History and Archaeology (Manchester), he has worked extensively as a field archaeologist on major North African sites, including the city of Ptolomais in Libya and many Roman villas, small towns and military sites. His knowledge of the region is both profound and extensive, aided in part by the fact that he has made landscape surveys in Libya sponsored by UNESCO. Read more about Tony and discover the tours he leads on her tour leader page.