Drunken Dionysos Antakya

This museum (also known as the Mosaic Museum) has the second richest collection of ancient mosaics in the world. These are mostly from Antioch and Daphne, with some from Seleucia Pieria and other coastal sites. The mosaics have been dated from the second century AD to the sixth and almost all were floor mosaics. Floor mosaics had appeared everywhere in Ancient Antioch, as a decoration for private houses, for public buildings, for churches and for baths. Nearly every citizen in Antioch had at least one mosaic pavement in his house; most affluent citizens had many. Because they were made of stone, the mosaic floors were durable, easy to wash, cool to walk on in the heat of summer.
The mosaics at Antioch were made with cubes of naturally colored stone, called tesserae which were laid side by side in a bed of cement. Any type of geometric pattern could be effectively used. Floral patterns and composition of birds and animals were also popular. Numerous mythological and historical scenes and personages were portrayed. Mosaics show sea nymphs,. tritons and satyrs of the Greco-roman tradition as well as the rams and royal lions of Persia and also peacoaks and vine scrolls popular in early Christian Art.