you may be familiar with the famous mosaic tile floor of ten female athletes, nicknamed the ‘bikini girls’, from the villa romana del casale, a 4th century roman villa located near piazza armerina in central sicily.*
mosaic tile floor | room of girls in bikinis (sala ragazze in bikini) | room 30
villa romana del casale | 4th century | piazza armerina, sicily
photo credit wtfarthistory.com
the villa romana del casale is the most impressive archaeological site that my husband, bob, and i have ever visited.
unesco describes the mosaics from the villa romana del casale as:
‘the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the roman world.’
the mosaics are exceptional not only for their quality, but also for their quantity. a spectacular mosaic tile floor, called the ambulatory of the great hunt, covers the 200 foot (60 meter) long passageway that connects the reception, private, and utility areas of the villa romana del casale. the mosaics depict the capture and transport of ferocious and exotic animals to rome for the hunts that preceded gladiator events.
mosaic tile floor | hall of the great hunt (corridoio della grande caccia) | room 28
villa romana del casale | 4th century | piazza armerina, sicily
photo credits unesco and lisa walsh | innerspace
the mosaics are so exceptional, and the villa romana del casale is so large, that some scholars speculate that it could have been an imperial commission.** so far, 46 rooms, totaling 43000 square feet (4000 square meters), have been excavated.
the prevalent opinion among scholars and art historians is that the villa romana del casale was built during the 4th century, between 327 and 357.*** and, that both the building and the decoration, which also includes interior and exterior frescos, are from the late roman period.
yet, some art historians have noted stylistic differences between the mosaic tile floors.
mythological or allegorical scenes, like the poet arion surrounded by sea creatures in the chamber of arion (room 37), are more naturalistic than domestic or genre scenes, like the fishermen in the hall of cupids fishing (room 24). could they have been designed by the same people?
mosaic tile floor | chamber of arion (diaeta di arione) | room 37
villa romana del casale | 4th century | piazza armerina, sicily
photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace
mosaic tile floor | atrium of cupids fishing (atrio delgi amorini pescatori) | room 24
villa romana del casale | 4th century | piazza armerina, sicily
photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace
in addition, the mosaic tile floors in the triclinium (room 36) look different than the floors in the rest of the residence. could they have been installed later? maybe.
some scholars argue that the villa could have been constructed in phases: 1. the rectangular peristyle (rooms 11-31, 35, 37-46) 2. the bath complex (rooms 3-10) 3. the entrance (rooms 1-2) and the oval peristyle (rooms 32-34, 36)****
floor plan | villa romana del casale | 4th century | piazza armerina, sicily
photo credit lasiciliainrete.it
could that explain why the ‘bikini girls’ were installed over a geometric patterned mosaic tile floor? the room of girls in bikinis (room 30) is located adjacent to the oval peristyle. could the ‘bikini girls’ have been part of the final expansion?
geometric mosaic tile floor | under the room of girls in bikinis (sala ragazze in bikini) | room 30
villa romana del casale | 4th century | piazza armerina, sicily
photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace
as an interior designer, i am less interested in the ‘bikini girls’ and more interested in the geometric patterns. the geometric patterns are a textile designer’s dream!
cubicle of fruit (cubicolo della frutta) | room 45

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duralee|highland court | lalique rayon/silk fabric | 800249H-720

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martyn lawrence bullard | mamounia linen fabric | MLB2314
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photo credits lisa walsh | innerspace, duralee|highland court and martyn lawrence bullard
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did you notice the fresco remnants on the wall?
holland & sherry | ringlet linen/wool fabric | DE11843
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kelly wearstler|groundworks | ombre maze viscose/linen fabric | GWF-2806.416
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photo credits lisa walsh | innerspace,holland & sherry and kelly wearstler|groundworks
the field patterns and borders in the utility rooms are as interesting as the mosaic tile floors in the master’s apartments.
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photo credits lisa walsh | innerspace
utility room (sala mosaico a quadrati) | room 27
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photo credits lisa walsh | innerspace
what textiles (or trim) could you design from the mosaic patterns?