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Interpreting the Brading ‘Abraxas’ Mosaic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2011

Pat Witts
Pat Witts
Affiliation:
9, Ellicott Court, Park Road, Menston, Ilkley, West Yorks
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Extract

In his article ‘A new look at some fourth-century mosaics’, Roger Ling has convincingly argued that the subject-matter of the mosaics at the villa of Brading, Isle of Wight, is derived from standard mythological and genre scenes. In the case of the mosaic from Room III (the so-called Abraxas or Iao mosaic) he has suggested that the two surviving rectangular panels owe their origins to African hunt-mosaics. The purpose of this article is to develop Professor Ling's explanation by looking in more detail at the mosaic and, in particular, at the two linear features associated with the griffins on the ‘Abraxas’ panel (PL. V) which have not previously been noted or discussed. These lines arguably represent millet stalks. As such they have significance for the interpretation of the mosaic as a whole, as they indicate that it is concerned with the activities of the amphitheatre.

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Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 25 , November 1994 , pp. 111 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © Pat Witts 1994. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

1 Britannia xxii (1991), 147–57, Pls XIVB and XVIIIA.Google Scholar

2 J.E. Price and F.G. Hilton Price, A Description of the Remains of Roman Buildings at Morton, near Brading, Isle of Wight (1881), pl. opp. 8.

3 cf. the lion on the Rudston Venus pavement: D.J. Smith, ‘The Mosaic Pavements’, in A.L.F. Rivet (ed.), The Roman Villa in Britain (1969), pl. 3.20.

4 Ling, op. cit. (note 1), pl. XIXB.

5 J.M.C. Toynbee, The Roman Art Treasures from the Temple of Mithras (1986), pls XIII, 22-3 and figs 2-3.

6 For a discussion of the griffins in these scenes and of the classical sources, see H. Mielsch, ‘Realität und Imagination im “Grossen Jagdmosaik” von Piazza Armerina’, in H.-U. Cain, H. Gabelmann and D. Saltzmann (eds), Festschrift für Nikolaus Himmelmann (1989), 463-5. For a contrary view, see J.M.C. Toynbee, Animals in Roman Life and Art (1973), 29.

7 See K.M.D. Dunbabin, The Mosaics of Roman North Africa (1978), 170-2, esp. n. 190 and references cited therein; Poinssot, L. and Quoniam, P., ‘Bêtes d'amphithêatres sur trois mosaïques du Bardo’, Karthago iii (1952), 143 n. 62.Google Scholar

8 See e.g. the beasts of the amphitheatre mosaic from Carthage (Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pi. XXIV no. 57) and the amphitheatre scene from Khanguet-el-Hadjaj (ibid., pi. XXVI no. 65).

9 See e.g. the mosaic depicting dice-players and xenia motifs from El Djem (Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pl. XLVI1 no. 118) and the Magerius mosaic from Smirat (ibid., pl. xxn no. 53).

10 See e.g. the figure of Hilarinus on the Magerius mosaic (see note 9) whose neckband and cuffs are decorated in this way.

11 See note 8.

12 A. Beschaouch, ‘Nouvelles observations sur les sodalites africaines’, CRAI (1985), 453-75, esp. 460, 469, and 472.

13 A. Beschaouch, ‘La Mosaïque de chasse à 1'amphithéâtre decouverte a Smirat en Tunisie’, CRAI (1966), 134-58. Beschaouch identifies this second deity as Dionysos (followed by Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), 67-8 and 268 and by Foucher, , Latomus, ciii (1969), 236), but his stance, short hair, and the phiale he holds in his right hand more probably indicate Apollo, who is found with Diana in a similar pose on the Offering of the Crane mosaic from Carthage Khéreddine (Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pi. XVII nos 36-7).Google Scholar

14 Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), 78-9 and pl. XXVII no. 69. For a detailed description of this mosaic, see A.B.A. Ben Khader and D. Soren (eds), Carthage: A Mosaic of Tunisia (1987), 182-3 no- 47- For a Romano-British mosaic using millet as a frame, see VCH Northamptonshire I (1902), fig. 20 opp. p. 192 (Apethorpe).Google Scholar

15 See note 3.

16 Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pl. XXIX no. 74.

17 Drawing by Samuel Hasell in the Somerset Local History Library, Taunton.

18 See notes 4 and 5.

19 See Simon, E., ‘Zur Bedeutung des Greifen in der Kunst der Kaiserzeit’, Latomus xxi (1962), esp. 770–80Google Scholar and the numerous examples cited under ‘Nemesis’ in Lexicon konographicum Mythologiae Classicae VI (1992), 734 ff.Google Scholar

20 Note that shrines to Nemesis are frequently found at or near amphitheatres.

21 Nonnus, , Dionysiaca XLVIII 380–5.Google Scholar

22 Putnam, W.G. and Rainey, A., ‘Fourth interim report on excavations at Dewlish Roman villa, 1972, and on the mosaic in Roomu II’, Proc. Dorset Nat. Hist. Arch. Soc. xciv (1972), 81–6, figs 6-8.Google Scholar

23 For instance, by Smith, D.J., ‘Mythological figures and scenes in Romano-British mosaics’, in Munby, J. and Henig, M (eds), Roman Life and Art, BAR 41 (1977) i, 106 (no. 1)Google Scholar and by Toynbee, J.M.C., Art in Roman Britain (1962), 202 (no. 197).Google Scholar

24 Lassus, J., ‘La Salle à sept absides de Djemila-Cuicul’, Antiquités Africaines v (1971), 202, fig. 6.Google Scholar

25 This detail is well-illustrated in J. Humphrey, Roman Circuses (1986), 225, fig. 113.

26 Now in Taunton Museum but extensively restored; VCH Somerset I (1906), 330, fig. 87; E. Birley, Life in Roman Britain (1981), 92 (drawing made by John Moore held in Somerset Local History Library, Taunton; a similar drawing, perhaps also by Moore, is held in Saffron Walden Museum).Google Scholar

27 T. Morgan, Romano-British Mosaic Pavements (1886), 235.

28 C. Nicholson, A Descriptive Account of the Roman Villa near Brading, Isle of Wight (1880), 12.

29 Ammianus Marcellinus XIV. 7.2.

30 J.W. Salomonson, La Mosaïque aux chevaux d l'antiquarium de Carthage (1965). See also Nicolet, C. and Beschaouch, A., ‘Nouvelles observations sur “La Mosaïque des Chevaux” et son édifice à Carthage’, CRAI (1991), 471–507, esp. 475–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

31 Humphrey, op. cit. (note 25), 267 and 224, fig. 112; 227, fig. 115 (Piazza Armerina) and 142, fig. 63 (Carthage).

32 See, for instance, the Small Hunt from Piazza Armerina and the hare- and fox-hunt from the House of the Laberii, Oudna (Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pis LXXVI no. 198 and XIX no. 44).

33 Cherhill: Johnson, P. and Walters, B., ‘Exploratory excavations of Roman buildings at Cherhill and Manningford Bruce’, Wilts. Nat. Hist. and Arch. Mag. lxxxii (1988), 81, fig. 3Google Scholar; Frampton: Smith, op. cit. (note 3), pi. 3.27 and Henig, M., ‘James Engleheart's drawing of a mosaic at Frampton, 1794’, Proc. Dorset Nat. Hist. Arch. Soc. cvi (1984), 144–5Google Scholar, pls 8 and 9; Hinton St Mary: Smith, op. cit. (note 3), pi. 3.29.

34 See note 24.

35 Ling, op. cit. (note 1), 152 and references cited therein.

36 He occurs on mosaics from Cirencester (Seasons mosaic), East Coker, two mosaics from Frampton, Gloucester, Littleton, London (Leadenhall Street), Pitney, Stonesfield, Thruxton, and Verulamium; and possibly also Chedworth, Fifehead Neville, London (Old Broad Street), Oulston, Wanstead Park, and York (Aldwark).

37 J.M.C. Toynbee, Art in Roman Britain (1962), pls 225–6.

38 See note 3. It has even been suggested that the figure of Mercury in one of these panels might be a misrendered Bacchus (D.J. Smith, Roman Mosaics at Hull (1987), 11).

39 East Coker: Smith, op. cit. (note 3), 92 fig. 3.3 (in the scene now interpreted as Bacchus finding Ariadne on Naxos); Frampton: see note 33 .

40 Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pi. XXVII no. 68.

41 V. Hutchinson, Bacchus in Roman Britain: the Evidence for his Cult (1986), 145; and see K. Lehmann-Hartleben and E.C. Olsen, Dionysiac Sarcophagi in Baltimore (1942), 30–1.

42 Foucher, L., ‘À Propos d'un Griffon’, in Hommages à Marcel Renard III, Collection Latomus ciii (1969), 233–8.Google Scholar

43 See, for instance, a mosaic from Oudna (Dunbabin, op. cit. (note 7), pi. LXVII no. 172).

44 Price and Price, op. cit. (note 2), 8.

45 S. Aurigemma, I mosaici di Zliten (1926).

46 K. Parlasca, Die römischen Mosaiken in Deutschland (1959), pls 36–9 (Nennig) and 88–91 (Bad Kreuznach).