Northern part of the mosaic
OBJECT
OBJECT
Definition
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mosaic floor
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Identification
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part of the decorative complex
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Name/Dedication
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Mosaic floor of Palace of Diocletian, room east of the Vestibule, Outlined lattice-pattern of adjacent hexagons and lozenges
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Position
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East of Vestibule
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Description
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Floor mosaic with geometric design consists of two juxtaposed carpets, arranged in a U shape. The north carpet and part of the south-west carpet are in the open, while the other part of the latter is situated inside the ground floor of the Ethnographic Museum. The south-west carpet consists of two panels. Its central part was destroyed by the medieval street and the foundations of an early medieval house.
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SUBJECT
SUBJECT
Identification
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Palace of Diocletian, Split – Geometric decoration with outlined lattice-pattern of adjacent hexagons and lozenges
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Iconographic description
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Geometric decoration, black and white, with outlined lattice-pattern of adjacent hexagons and lozenges (creating the effect of adjacent and intersecting large irregular hexagons) (BALMELLE 1985, Le decor geometrique de la mosaique, tav. 213, a). The mosaic carpets are surrounded by a white frame consisting of tesserae laid parallel to the walls. In the north carpet the central design consisting of hexagons and lozenges on white background is bordered by four rows of black tesserae. Hexagons have tesserae of three colors, and the smaller lozenges are monochrome. The west panel with guilloche interlace pattern and the south panel with labrys pattern are bordered by a multicolored checkered pattern.
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GEOGRAPHICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LOCATION
Country
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Croatia
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City
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Split
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Locality
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Split
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SPECIFIC LOCATION
Typology
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monumental complex
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Qualification
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palace
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Denomination
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Palace of Diocletian
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Date
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4. century
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Address
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Arhiđakonova street
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Notes
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The palace today is the historical center of the city of Split
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LOCATION AND PROPERTY DATA
Original location
INVENTORY OF MUSEUM OR OF SUPERINTENDENCE
Number
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UP/I 612-08/06-05/7527
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METHOD OF FINDING
Type of finding
INFORMATIONS ON FINDING
Management of the work
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Town Planning Department of Dalmatia
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Those who did the work
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Town Planning Department of Dalmatia
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Date
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1963
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Notes
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In 1905, following the demolition of a house east of the Vestibule, and adjacent to the temenos wall of Diocletian’s Mausoleum, at a depth of 180 cm a mosaic was found. It was excavated again in 1963, when it was established that the location was occupied by an ancient building with a courtyard and a portico along the north, west and south side. All three sides of the portico were paved with polychrome mosaic carpets with different geometric patterns.
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CHRONOLOGY
GENERAL CHRONOLOGY
CULTURAL DEFINITION
AUTHOR
TESSERAE
TESSERAE MATERIAL
Material
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limestone
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Color
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black, white, red, ocher, light gray, dark gray
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Typology
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natural
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PRESERVATION STATUS & RESTORATION
PRESERVATION STATUS
Date
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1997-1998; 2007-2011
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Description
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-
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RESTORATION
Date
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1997-1998; 2007-2011
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Responsible institution
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Croatian Conservation Institute
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Management of the work
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Tonči Borovac
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Those who did the work
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Split Conservation Department, Section for Wall Paintings, Mosaics and Stucco
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Description
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Because of their extremely bad state of repair, in 1998 the north and part of the northwest carpet, which were left uncovered, received a temporary conservation consisting of sealing the borders and the lacunae, surface cleaning, pre-consolidation and anti-biological treatment. They were then covered with a protection layer of finly ground stone aggregate. Restoration was undertaken again in 2007, and continued until 2011. Following the removal of the hard crust, the mosaic was cleaned using mechanical and chemical methods, minor retouches were made, and the mortar bed was consolidated. Most damaged parts of the mosaic were partially reconstructed. Rain water falling from the neighboring roof was diverted, and the mosaic was covered during the winter. A protective fence was erected around the mosaic. The southwest mosaic carpet inside the Ethnographic Museum building was cleaned, and the joints were repointed. Partial reconstruction and anti-biological treatment were carried out. Both parts of the mosaic were fully documented. Preventive conservation and maintenance is being continued on a regular basis, especially to the north part of the mosaic, due to its outdoor location.
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LEGAL STATUS AND RESTRICTION
LEGAL STATUS
General indication
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property of local authority
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Specific indication
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Split Ethnographic Museum and the Split City Museum
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DOCUMENTARY & INFORMATIVE SOURCES
IMAGES
Northern part of the mosaic
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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