The Byzantine Mosaic

This paper discusses the development and changes of Byzantine mosaic, and the social history behind it. The paper is divided into three chapters.The first chapter consists of two parts:the traditions of mosaic before the Mediterranean world and the development of the mosaic in the early years of Byzantine Empire. The traditions in the region of ancient Greece and ancient Rome and the eastern areas provided Byzantine mosaic fertile soil. With the development of Christian, the mosaic becamd the best choice for decorating the church. It has undergone changes in location and content.The second chapter discusses the development of the mosaic in the mid-term of Byzantine Empire. The Iconoclast Crisis provide opportunities for the development of the secular arts. After the Iconoclast Crisis, the theory of Christianity formed a relatively stable pattern, and so was the mosaic. The cult of the Virgin Mary became more and more popular with the rise ofMarian Devotion. During this time, the Byzantine mosaic entered its flourishing Period.The third chapter is about the development and spread of late imperial mosaic. The mosaic at this time revitalized again, both in form and content appearing the tendency of humanism. For lacking the national strength, the mosaic in the range of Byzantine Empire finally became weak and fell into decline and was replaced by relatively inexpensive frescos, but with the impact of empire, the mosaic outside the scope of the empire continued to develop.