Collections and Engagement Officer James Harris on his ambitious project to revive a Roman masterpiece
The Lost Mosaic: Cirencester’s Roman Marine Masterpiece
The Corinium Museum is renowned for its exceptional collection of Roman mosaics, particularly those from Corinium Dobunnorum (modern Cirencester). Among the highlights is the 2nd-century Seasons Mosaic, discovered in 1849 on Dyer Street. This masterpiece (below) features intricate details, such as wheat kernels in the headdress of Ceres (summer), feathers on Flora’s shoulder (spring), and fruit adorning Pomona (autumn). Mythological scenes include Actaeon with antlers being attacked by dogs, Silenus riding a donkey backwards while drinking wine, and the remnants of a central medallion, thought to have originally depicted Pegasus. The mosaic’s vivid details and wide array of colours make it a prime example of Roman artistry in Britain.
Another mosaic, unearthed on Dyer Street in 1783 and recorded by antiquarian Samuel Lysons, features a marine theme. The Sea-Life Mosaic depicts a procession of sea creatures — fish (including an eel), bivalves, a crab, and a shrimp — alongside mythological figures such as cupids, a sea-horse, and a sea-leopard. Lysons’ sketches suggest a central design that may have featured Neptune’s chariot, with a Nereid, possibly Salacia goddess of the sea, riding a sea creature. Unfortunately, the mosaic was reburied in the 19th century, and its full recovery remains unlikely. The mosaic is documented in Roman Mosaics of Britain by Stephen Cosh and David Neal (2010).
Reviving the Marine Mosaic: A Modern Interpretation
For the first time in 242 years, the Sea-Life Mosaic is being recreated as a scale model (1:2). While brainstorming ideas for a large, blank wall in the museum, I thought — since uncovering a new mosaic in Cirencester is unlikely, why not bring back the Sea-Life Mosaic? It’s the best of the mosaics from Roman Cirencester that were not recovered.
I used Lysons’ detailed drawings as a guide to carefully place each tesserae, employing air-drying clay for its ease of use and precision. I discovered early on that wet grout reactivates the clay and spreads the colours; and pressing the tiles into a tile adhesive without grouting doesn’t create a neat finish.
Through trial and error I developed a solution. The tesserae are glued to a board. Once dried, dry grout powder is brushed into the gaps and set with a polyurethane adhesive solution in water, sprayed as a fine mist and left to dry. This avoids the need to wipe the surface. Beeswax is then applied to bring out the colours without adding a glossy finish.
The later animals are far better than the earlier ones, so I will need to redo some pieces like the sea-urchin and crab. The original mosaic contained around 75,000 tesserae, and there’s still a long way to go in the recreation process. However, the end result promises to be a stunning tribute to Cirencester’s Roman heritage.
During a recent course in carbon literacy for museums, I presented the mosaic project as an allegory for abundant life and the effort needed to address the climate crisis. The mosaic isn’t just about reviving a piece of history; it’s about recognising that we all have a voice and a role to play in protecting nature, our oceans and the life within them.
While the recreated mosaics currently on display at Corinium Museum offer a glimpse of what’s to come, the full-scale Sea-Life Mosaic is still in the making. Visitors can look forward to this dazzling reconstruction gracing the museum’s walls in the near future, serving as both a tribute to Roman artistry and a reminder of our responsibility to protect the rich life of our oceans.
You can see some of the mosaic pieces recreated by James at the free Corinium Creatives exhibition at the museum until February 9th.
