The Rudston Venus mosaic
The Venus Mosaic came from the largest room in the first house built at a Roman villa near Rudston, East Yorkshire. The intact mosaic with its oblong side-panels would have measured 4.67m x 3.2m. It dates to the later 3rd century AD. Although the design is entirely Roman, the naive style with which it has been made suggests the craftsman, or men, were native Britons. Far from being a drawback though, it is the naivety that makes this particular mosaic so appealing. #SUBHEADING#Goddess of Beauty#SUBHEADINGEND# The mosaic is named after the figure of Venus which can be seen in the central circle. She is naked and her long hair is flowing wildly. She wears bracelets on her arms and in her right hand holds the apple she won in a beauty contest - the Judgement of Paris. Venus is nearly always shown with a mirror - and the Rudston Venus seems to have just dropped hers. Her proportions are a little strange; her abdomen and hips are emphasised, while her legs taper to tiny feet. #SUBHEADING#Tritons and torches#SUBHEADINGEND# She is accompanied by a Triton or merman; half-man, half fish. He holds a burning torch, probably a misrepresentation of the conch shell generally depicted with Tritons. Venus paired with a Triton recalls the birth of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess identified with Venus, from the foam of the sea. #SUBHEADING#Fierce Creatures#SUBHEADINGEND# Four animals surround the central circle; a lion, a stag, a leopard and a bull. Unusually for British mosaics two are given Latin stage-names, a convention seen in Roman mosaics in North Africa. Interestingly the mosaicist doesn't seems to have been too good at spelling! The lion is described as (LEO) F(L)AMMEFER, 'the fiery lion'. He has been speared and blood is shown spurting from the wound. The bull is called TAURUS OMICISA which translates to something like 'the mankilling bull'. A staff with a crescent at the end hovers above him. This seems to be another link with North Africa, since the crescent staff was a symbol used by the Telegenii, one of the known teams of animal fighters in the African amphitheatres. Perhaps the mosaicist was copying the design from a North African pattern-book. The leopard, who looks directly at the viewer has a chequered disc above him. It has been suggested that this might be a device whirled to goad animals in the amphitheatre. Only the stag, who is shown wandering peacefully through a wood, seems not to be directly associated with the arena. #SUBHEADING#Gladiators or Hunters?#SUBHEADINGEND# In the spaces between the animals and the central section are four naked hunters running in the same direction as the animals. The person holding the spear and looking at the stag seems to be female. The man opposite has a beard and holds a rope above his head. It is tempting to see the people as animal fighters from an amphitheatre. The four corners contain birds, perhaps a dove often associated with Venus, pecking at apples or pomegranates. #SUBHEADING#Mixing Myths#SUBHEADINGEND# Only one of the flanking panels remains. The centre of the panel has a bust between vines; clusters of grapes grow from canthari (wine-cups) at either end. The bust wears a winged cap and is accompanied by a wand called a caduceus, the symbol of Mercury. However, there is no association between Mercury and vines, suggesting that the craftsman has misunderstood a design of the bust of Bacchus crowned with grapes and vine-leaves, and bearing a thrysus or wand. As well as his well-known association with wine, Bacchus was also linked with amphitheatres so may well have been the intended god here.
The Story of the Horkstow Mosaic
This famous mosaic was found in 1797 by labourers preparing a kitchen garden at Horkstow Hall, Lincolnshire. Unfortunately they destroyed large areas of it before realising the importance of what they had unearthed - a mosaic floor belonging to great hall of a large and wealthy villa.
The Story of the Rudston Mosaics
The Roman villa near Rudston, East Yorkshire, first came to light in 1838 when walls, roofing tiles, wall plaster and the remains of a mosaic floor were found by farm workers. Unfortunately most of the pavement was destroyed by the same workers - they dug it up in the hope of finding treasure!
Everything you always wanted to know about mosaics
Everything you always wanted to know about mosaics and had no one to ask. Read this narrative to find out more about mosaics, how they were made, what they were made of, how they chose their designs and who made them.
Rock and Roll! - Or How to Lift a Mosaic
Rock and Roll! - Or How to Lift a Mosaic. This narrative will show you how mosaics are lifted out of the ground so they can be displayed in museums for all to see.
The Brantingham Geometric Mosaics
The Roman villa at Brantingham, 3km northwest of Brough in East Yorkshire, was first discovered in 1941 when two geometric mosaics were found in a stone quarry known as the 'Cockle Pits'. They were recorded and then reburied. What followed is one of the biggest mysteries in Yorkshire archaeology.
The Brantingham Tyche Mosaic
The so-called 'Tyche Mosaic' was discovered in 1961at the site of a large villa near Brantingham, about 3km northwest of Brough in East Yorkshire.The mosaic features a distinctive figure at the centre wearing a crown and surrounded by a nimbus or halo. Some experts believe this figure is a 'Tyche' (pronounced tie-key), a personification of a province or tribe, and this has given the mosaic its name.
The Leopards Panel
The so-called 'Leopards Panel' was found in 1971 at the 4th century Roman villa at Rudston, East Yorkshire. It formed the floor of a threshold into the room of the Charioteer Mosaic and may have been placed under an archway. Like its neighbour it dates to between about 325 and 350 AD.
The Horkstow Mosaic
The Horkstow Mosaic is one of the largest and most interesting mosaics ever found in Britain. It was uncovered in 1797 by labourers making a kitchen garden at Horkstow Hall in Lincolnshire and would have graced a large hall at a very wealthy and sophisticated 4th century Roman villa.
The Rudston Aquatic Mosaic
The Aquatic Mosaic paved the 'apodytherium' or changing room of the bath-house at the Roman villa near Rudston, East Yorkshire. It was discovered in 1933 together with the Venus Mosaic and the Swastika Mosaic.
The Rudston Charioteer Mosaic
The Charioteer Mosaic is one of the most striking and unusual mosaics to have been found so far in Roman Britain. Named after the central figure standing on a 'quadriga' or four-horse chariot, it paved a large room at a 4th century AD villa near Rudston, East Yorkshire. It is thought to have been laid between about 325 and 350 AD.
The Rudston Swastika Mosaic
This remarkably complete mosaic is known as the Swastika or Geometric Mosaic and was found in 1933 at the Roman villa near Rudston, East Yorkshire. It came from the central room of the same house as the Venus and Aquatic Mosaics which are also displayed at the Hull and East Riding Museum. The mosaic measures 2.75m square and dates to the later 3rd century AD, the same date as the Venus Mosaic.
Board games - Boards and Counters
The history of toys and games goes back thousands of years. Throughout Hull's museum collection's there are many objects to show you the different kinds of games that were played in Britain and how they have developed through the centuries. See how this has happened, sometimes in the strangest of places - Come and play!
Board Games - The Roll of Knucklebones and Dice Throughout History
The history of toys and games goes back thousands of years. Throughout Hull's museum collection's there are many objects to show you the different kinds of games that were played in Britain and how they have developed through the centuries. See how knucklebones and dice were important in this development - Come and play!
