Roman Mosaic - The Oceanos and Tethys Mosaic Zeugma Turkey

by Paul E Williams

Title

Roman Mosaic - The Oceanos and Tethys Mosaic Zeugma Turkey

Artist

Paul E Williams

Medium

Photograph - Colour Photograph

Description

Roman Mosaic - close up of Oceanos and his wife Tethys. The Oceanos & Tethys Mosaic, fom The House of Oceanos, Zeugma. 2nd - 3rd century AD. Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Gaziantep, Turkey.

The Oceanos and Tethys Mosaic is the floor mosaic of the shallow pool of the House of Oceanos. In this mosaic, which belongs to the Early Roman Empire Period, Oceanos, the river god who is the origin of life, and his wife Tethys are represented. At the middle of the mosaic which is surrounded by a geometric triple tress borders there are Oceanos and his wife Tethys. Around them there are Eros figures riding various species of fish and dolphins symbolising the abundance of the sea. The most represented attributes of Oceanos are snake and fish.

in the mosaic, Oceanos is seen with chelas. Those chelas are among his most characteristic attributes. Though the tail of an eel is represented as his feet in the figures on ceramics, within the scope of the art of mosaic he is represented as a bust and only with the chelas on his head such as this one. His wife Tethys is right by his side and represented with wings upon her forehead. Between them, there is the dragon called Cetos which is a mythological sea creature. As is seen in the coins of Zeugma, the Euphrates River is expressed as a dragon. Besides these two figures, on the top-right of the mosaic, there is a young male figure which is thought to be Pan, the patron of fishermen and shepherds. The fact that Eros figures and Pan which are the side figures are located outward implies that the pool is built to allow walking around.

The expression of the Oceanos as not an ocean but a river surrounding the world: By that the water, which vapours with the heat of the sun and then gives life to the nature by becoming rain, and which after being used by the nature reaches again the sea via the rivers is expressed. The water becomes aware of itself and its function by that cycle. This phenomenon is represented in the mosaic panel as the diversif

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May 21st, 2021

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