ClassificationsGreek and Roman Art
Tessarae (Mosaic) Fragment
AAT Object Form/Functiontesserae (mosaic components)
AAT Object Techniqueunderwater archaeology
Place ExcavatedCaesarea, Israel, Asia
CultureRoman
MediumStone, plaster
Credit LineLink Marine Expedition, 1960
Dimensions2 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (5.7 x 5.7 cm)
Object number1960.009
Label TextStrategically located on the Syro-Palestinian coast, Caesarea (in modern day Israel) has a history of active trade since 3000 B.C. In 10 B.C., Herod the Great built a new harbor-city on this site in honor of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus who gave his name to this city. As the capital of Roman Palestine, Caesarea rivaled Jerusalem in importance and splendor. Due to changes in the water level of the Mediterranean Sea, structures of the ancient harbor had been covered by water for centuries. The objects on display were recovered from the submerged harbor and surrounding waters during the Link expedition to Caesarea and the Sea of Galilee of 1960. During this expedition, Emory Professor Immanuel Ben Dor and Atlanta Artist George Beattie accompanied Edwin A. Link, a brilliant inventor, who designed innovative underwater exploration vessels. His ship, the Sea Diver II, was equipped with metal detectors, electronic probes, and an underwater capsule, enabling prolonged diving periods at a depth of up to 400 feet.Exhibition HistoryMCCM Permanent Collection Galleries, May 11, 1993 - August 1995
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, September 2001 - 2013
ProvenanceExcavated by Link Marine Expedition, Israel, 1960.
Status
Not on viewCollections
- Greek and Roman Art
4th Century CE
539-331 BCE
1st Century BCE-5th Century CE
mid 14th Century BCE
early-mid 20th Century
1400-1390 BCE
