The Roman Mosaics of Bracara Augusta: Re-Reading and Reinterpretation of Decorative Motifs

Abstract

The earliest news about mosaics discovered in the Roman city of Bracara Augusta, dating from the second half of the nineteenth century, were mostly published in local newspapers. Only in 1976, after the creation of the Archaeological Field of Braga, the body responsible for carrying out rescue archaeology in the urban area, were some dozens of archaeological interventions performed, which allowed mapping, safeguarding remains and proceed a cultural heritage. This allowed us to have a systematic knowledge of the mosaics of Bracara Augusta. Our work aims to provide an overview of the mosaics displayed in D. Diogo de Sousa Museum of Braga and remaining in situ (the mosaic of “Escola Velha da Sé” (Cathedral’s Old School) and the mosaic of the “Casa da Roda” (House of the Wheel), to undertake a new reading and interpretation of them, looking for their relationships with the mosaics of the eastern and western Mediterranean.

Keywords

• bracara augusta
• roman mosaics
• patterns
• decorative motifs
• re-reading