The Roman Room, Musée Unterlinden - Colmar, France - Ancient Roman Civilization on Waymarking.com

[FR] Si à l’origine elle comptait plus de 80 m2, seul un huitième a été sauvegardé. Après avoir été exposée d’abord dans le chœur de l’ancienne église du couvent des Unterlinden, elle est aujourd’hui présentée au sous-sol du musée, dans une salle consacrée à la période romaine. Il s’agit d’une mosaïque de pavement polychrome, qui évoque un tapis richement orné. Une tresse à deux brins entoure une composition complexe, montrant essentiellement des motifs géométriques ainsi que quelques motifs figurés : neufs cercles inscrits dans des carrés quadrilobés alternent avec huit carrés inscrits dans des quadrilatères curvilignes et dix-huit petits carrés à côtés concaves ; tous ces motifs sont eux aussi bordés d’entrelacs à deux brins. La densité du décor est caractéristique des ateliers installés dans la région de Trèves, au 3e siècle.

[EN] From 52 BC, Alsace was part of the Roman Empire, and would remain so for five centuries. This was a period of profound change, as is demonstrated by the construction of a dense network of roads, the development of large settlements and a great increase in the numbers of small villages and farms. Whilst there is no Roman presence attested in Colmar itself before the construction of a villa in the 4 th century AD, the same cannot be said of the surrounding areas, which were densely occupied from the first century. Major sites include Biesheim “ Oedenbourg ” and Horbourg, but the farms, villas and little settlements in the territories of Rouffach, Bergheim, Eguisheim, Wettolsheim and Turckheim formed a network across the Colmar area.

The Roman room is organised around the Bergheim mosaic in the centre. All around it, a fine series of stone works (stelae, altar and statues) is arranged on three walls, along with two themed display cases providing an overview of GalloRoman civilisation in the Colmar region.

After initially being displayed in the chapel choir, the mosaic was
installed in this room in 1974.

Even though only an eighth of its original surface survives, this polychrome mosaic resembling an ornately decorated carpet is still a fine example of the art of flooring that was so characteristic of Roman villas. A two-stranded plait surrounds a complex composition based principally on geometric motifs, but also including some figurative motifs. Nine circles inside fourlobed squares alternate with eight squares contained in curved quadrilaterals and eighteen small concave-sided squares ; all these motifs are also edged with interlacing motifs formed from two strands. The density of the decoration is characteristic of the workshops of the Trier region in the 3 rd century AD.

Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C. Admission Fee: € 13 Opening days/times: Mon., Wed. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Thurs. 10 a.m. –8 p.m. Fri.–Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Tues. closed Web Site: [Web Link] Condition: Completely intact or reconstructed

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