the Generative Art of Mosaic Making

The story of mosaics began over 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia when tiny baked-clay cones were first used as a strong finishing material for mud-brick structures. The head of these cones were sometimes colored in black, white or red, and a pattern was achieved by inserting them into the mud plaster on the walls; this was the earliest form of mosaic which has been discovered to date. Since then, many variations have been generated in many parts of the world. After Mesopotamia the art of mosaic-making in the region, which is now called Turkey, developed in the Hellenistic era, flourished during the Roman Empire continued in the Byzantine period, stagnated during the Ottoman Sultanate and revived in modern times as a decorative finishing material. Over the centuries mosaics have been produced with different material and techniques, textures and colours, motifs and patterns, icons and themes, and on different surfaces and objects; for different reasons and beliefs, the most important reason being to provide a lasting, meaningful and aesthetical finish to the surface it is being applied on