June 9, 2025: Mosaics

Today we explored the recently uncovered mosaics in Plovdiv.

Our first stop was the Bishop’s Bascilica of Phillipopolis where we were required to wear shoe covers even though we won’t be walking on any mosaics.

Instead of the usual shoe covers, our shoes were shrink wrapped. Watched the video of how it works:

Shrink wrapped foot covers

Rob is reading an informative placard while standing on the glass walkway.

We thought that mosaics were just the top layer but, as with any art, there is a lot of preparation.

A coin dating back to the times of Emperor Licinius (308-324), discovered during the excavations of the Bishop’s Basilica, has spawned the hypothesis that the basilica was among the first to be erected in the Roman Empire after Christianity was legalized in 313. Its dimensions, decoration, and central location near the ancient city’s forum indicate the past existence of a sizable and influential Christian community in Philippopolis.

This diagram illustrates the different layers of the basilica throughout history.

Also, these mosaic floors are layered upon each other. This could be due to the undulating floor which was likely due to earthquakes.

This earlier layer is simple and less colorful than the later mosaics.

This later layer demonstrates a more complex design with a larger color palette. Why so many birds? The leading theory suggests that they were illustrating the Garden of Eden.

Next, only a five-minute walk away is the Small Bascilica. This Christian Church was built during the Roman empire in the second half of the 5th century AD and abandoned at the end of 6th century. It was only rediscovered in 1988.