Roman Britain / Learning resources

Art and symbols

Read animals in a Roman mosaic

Observe an animal design closely, then compare your interpretation with the museum’s explanation.

Start here

Choose an animal mosaic from the Corinium Museum gallery guide. You need a photograph or museum display, paper and pencils. Record which floor you are looking at, its findspot and any date supplied. Keep a museum’s account of meaning beside your own visual observations.

Try the activity

  1. Draw a small detail, noting the animal’s pose, surroundings and the colours used. Include part of the border so the central figure is not isolated from its design.
  2. Write three things you can see and two possible interpretations. A recognisable animal does not by itself prove a particular religious belief or the owner’s favourite creature.
  3. Read the museum explanation and revise your ideas. Identify which interpretation is supported and which still needs evidence.
  4. Design a paper panel using an animal meaningful to you. Write your own explanation, then ask someone to describe the panel before reading your key.

Discuss and check

  • Can the same animal carry different meanings in different settings?
  • How does a room or nearby figure change a reading?
  • Which parts of your own design would be difficult for a future viewer to understand?

Review your work

The invented panel is your artwork. Do not use its meaning to claim a translation of the Roman mosaic. A careful label can describe a design vividly while keeping uncertainty about its original audience.

Sources and further reading

  1. Corinium Museum: galleries, collections and planning a visit

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