The Blessed in Paradise, symbolised by a bird perched on a branch: amongst the early Christian motifs and emblems preserved in coloured tesserae in the vast mosaic pavement of the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta at Aquileia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. The church was founded soon after the 313 AD Edict of Milan, which proclaimed religious freedom throughout the Roman Empire.
Aquileia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy: this bird on a tree branch symbolising the Blessed in Paradise was among the early Christian motifs and symbols depicted by mosaic artists working in the ancient Roman city’s new Basilica as Christianity spread through the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD. The original church was built on land in the heart of the Roman metropolis, which had a population of about 100,000, making it one of the ancient world’s largest cities. Building began soon after Roman emperors Constantine and Licinius had signed the Edict of Milan in 313 AD. The Edict proclaimed religious toleration throughout the empire and enabled Christian communities to build places of public worship without fear of persecution. The first church was destroyed, but it was rebuilt four times over several hundred years, each time using elements of the previous buildings. However, the vast mosaic pavement of which this design forms a part was only revealed when red and white 11th century floor tiles were lifted between 1909 and 1912. The present Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta looks from outside to be built mainly in medieval Romanesque-Gothic style, but inside, the entire pavement is taken up by the colourful 4th century mosaics. The well-preserved South Hall pavement, at 750 square metres, is the largest early Christian mosaic in the western world. Visitors can now stand on glass platforms fixed at the level of the 11th century floor to see the ancient artworks in fine detail.
Size: 4288px × 2848px
Location: Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, Aquileia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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