The Mosaics of terrace-house 2 in Ephesus

The research project deals with the mosaics of terrace house 2 in Ephesus, a Roman block of flats (Insula) in the centre of the ancient town. The main aim is to examine the floors of the seven flats (socalled "Wohneinheiten 1 - 7"). The mosaic material consists of existing mosaic pavements and a great number of broken fragments that have been collected in boxes during the excavation campaigns since the Seventies. New archeological research-work on the chronology of the building complex and its findings (walldecoration, sculpture, ceramics, glass) suggests a context orientated examination of each floor mosaic: The pavement has to be examined within its architectural and ornamental surrounding, that means, it is important to consider the wall and ceiling decorations, pieces of sculpture that have come down to us, as well as the mural structures to get a picture of the overall design of each room. In this respect the following questions are of importance: - Does there exist a regular distribution of the pavements within each apartment of the Insula? - What can we learn from the different usage of figural and geometrical ornamentation of the mosaic floors? Can we catch glimpses of the original function of a room from it? This is very important, because in antique houses you can hardly ever distinguish between diningrooms, bedrooms or livingrooms as you can do in modern apartments. From ancient sources we know of multifunctional rooms. - Another question would be: Is it possible to take the Ephesian evidence as a model for Roman houses in other parts of the empire? A further aim of the project is to study the repertory of motifs on mosaics and collect them to show the similarities and differences between Ephesian workshops (as main representatives of the Roman province Asia) and the ones of Roman Greece and Italy. The latter is expected to have given main cultural and artistic impulses on Ephesus, which was the capital of the province. A final publication of all the mosaics of terrace house 2 is meant as a guide for any further mosaic research in Roman Asia Minor.

The resumption of archaeological and historical investigation into terrace-house 2 of Ephesus in the 1990ies was a unique occasion for studying the mosaics within the architectural context as well as for comparing them with other elements of equipment of the building. Thus it was possible - apart from purely stylistic argumentation - to find more exact criteria for dating the mosaics and to see them as integral parts of the architecture. The terrace-house-2-mosaics being still considered to be a main source of reference for imperial mosaics in Western Asia Minor, the research work done here means an essential contribution to this field. The mosaics date from the early 1st to the 3rd quarter of the 3rd century A.D. This period comprises four main phases of construction of the ancient block-of-houses (insula), to which we can attribute about 70 mosaic floors. Since the early 1st century you can see a clear influence of Italian mosaic art as regards form, style and skilfulness. Since then the mosaics in terrace house 2 were laid in geometric black and white patterns surrounded by plain white border zones. In the course of the 2nd and 3rd centuries the black and white contrast was enriched by colours and the white surrounding zones were filled with black ornaments. Since the middle of the 2nd century figured panels were occasionally included, showing mythological scenes as well as scenes from the amphitheatre - themes corresponding to the current repertory in imperial Roman residential buildings. Together with the depictions in the glass mosaics on walls and vaults,in mural paintings and the sculptural equipment of the house they helped to illustrate the level of education and the concept of values of an urban upper- class society.