Mosaic Museum pictures

OK, here are some more pictures. They are from the Mosaic Museum in Istanbul. These mosaics are all from the Byzantine imperial palace, and are believed to date from the time of Justinian (6th century AD). The museum basically just roofed over the mosaics where they were found, so they are on the site of the actual palace. (Although there was a huge amount of preservation work done to the mosaics.)

These mosaics aren't quite as spectacular as the ones from the Chora Church with all the gold, and the colors aren't as vibrant (they are 700 years older), but I have always loved this kind of Roman-style mosaic. The subject matter is very different. The Chora church is all religious subjects, whereas the palace mosaics are more scenes from life and a few from pagan mythology. There are lots of animals and hunting scenes. It is amazing to think that what remains is only a fraction of the originals; the palace floor would have been covered with this kind of mosaic. Cool to think we can look down today at the same floors that Justinian walked on 1400 years ago.

One last note: Barb has a headscarf on in these pictures. No, she hasn't converted to Islam. We were planning to go to the Blue Mosque after the Mosaics Museum. It is still a functioning mosque, so she was wearing the scarf to be respectful.

Mosaic Museum in Istanbul