Focal Point Touring Byzantine antiquity

What to know: Found in Gerasa, present-day Jordan, in 1932, this mosaic floor from a Byzantine church depicts two major Egyptian cities of the time: Alexandria (left) and Memphis (right). Alexandria held great importance in the empire as a hub of intellectual life and early Christian thought, while Memphis enjoyed significance as Egypt’s former capital. The depiction of the two cities is adorned with rich symbolism, such as the amphora at the top and flora native to the Nile region. In 2009, Yale conservators began an ambitious restoration of the mosaic, replacing its original concrete backing with lightweight foam and fiberglass, supported by an aluminum frame.

From the expert: “This mosaic was discovered in the archaeological excavations undertaken in the 1920s and ’30s by Yale and the British School of Archaeology at Jerusalem,” says Lisa Brody, associate curator of ancient art at the Yale University Art Gallery. “An important city in the Roman period, Gerasa fostered a significant Christian community by the 4th century, with the construction of over a dozen elaborately decorated churches. ‘City mosaics’ such as this are known from Gerasa and other archaeological sites in Jordan — the most famous example being the so-called ‘map’ from Madaba — and are not typically found elsewhere. This mosaic, a highlight of Yale’s collection of ancient art, comes from the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, as declared in the Greek inscription at center. The innovative conservation treatment of this object prior to its installation in 2012 has served as a model for many other museums needing to conserve mosaics excavated in the early 20th century.”