The Beauty of Durrës is a polychromatic mosaic of the 4th century BC and is the most ancient and important mosaic discovered in Albania. The 9 m2 (97 sq ft) mosaic is elliptical in shape and depicts a woman’s head on a black background, surrounded by flowers and other floral elements. It was discovered in 1918 in Durrës, and since 1982 has been on display at the National Historical Museum of Albania in Tirana.
The Beauty of Durrës
Sketch by Camillo Praschniker, 1918
Book cover of "4 shekuj para Krishtit", by the poet Ferik Ferra, depicting The Beauty of Durrës
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly popular in the Ancient Roman world.
Tepidarium of Dar Zmela house
(Museo Nacional de Antropología (México))
From Pompeii, Casa di Orfeo National Archaeological Museum, Naples
Stag Hunt Mosaic from the House of the Abduction of Helen at Pella, ancient Macedonia, late 4th century BC