mosaic
Enable an agent to recognise a physical mosaic, assess the condition of its assembled pieces and support, and determine suitable handling, installation or conservation actions.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an agent to recognise a physical mosaic, assess the condition of its assembled pieces and support, and determine suitable handling, installation or conservation actions.
A mosaic is a decorative surface or image formed by arranging discrete pieces of stone, glass, ceramic or other material, commonly called tesserae, and securing them to a supporting base.
It can be Map pieces, joints and losses against a scaled image of the mosaic.; Distinguish observed construction from inferred or inaccessible layers.; Assess whether loose pieces or support defects require stabilisation before handling.; Compare proposed replacement pieces and joint materials with the surrounding assembly.; Plan a locally tested cleaning or conservation intervention using material and condition evidence.; Track changes in displacement, losses and surface condition through repeated documentation..
Distinguishing features
Determine whether discrete physical pieces form the visible design, rather than pigment alone forming a painting or fresco.
Determine whether apparent piece boundaries are actual assembly boundaries rather than printed, painted or moulded imitations.
Establish whether pieces collectively form the composition; distinguish this from a tiled covering whose individual tiles each carry a complete independent decoration, while recording ambiguous cases.
Inspect how pieces are seated and attached to distinguish the assembly from inlay within a host surface or stained glass held in a framing network; record overlapping techniques explicitly.
Scope
+ Discrete pieces and their arrangement into an image, pattern or textured field
+ Piece materials, dimensions, surface finishes and replacements
+ Joints, bedding, adhesives and the immediate supporting assembly
+ Installation geometry, exposed edges and attachment interfaces
+ Condition, repair history and constraints on handling or treatment
- Genetic mosaicism and organisms described as mosaics
- Digital image mosaics, photomosaics and geospatial image stitching
- Bulk substances or commercially supplied materials before incorporation into a mosaic
- The complete building, pavement or architectural structure carrying the mosaic
- The artist's career, artistic movement or represented subject as independent entities
Characteristics
- Mosaic technique
- tessellated pieces | pebbles | cut pieces | mixed technique | other | unresolved The assembly technique determines which piece boundaries, supports and failure modes an agent must inspect.
- Piece material distribution
- Mapped regions or individual pieces linked to identified materials, identification methods and confidence Different materials within one mosaic may respond differently to wear, moisture and treatment.
- Piece dimensions and spacing
- Piece length, width, thickness and joint width in mm, with ranges and sampled locations These dimensions describe the assembly scale and inform matching, loss assessment and repair planning.
- Piece orientation and course pattern
- Recorded course directions, orientation changes, irregular arrangements and unresolved regions The direction and grouping of pieces contribute to the design and constrain reconstruction.
- Supporting assembly
- Ordered links between pieces, joint materials, bedding, intermediate layers and immediate support; unknown layers marked explicitly A visually intact face may depend on concealed layers whose condition governs safe movement or treatment.
- Extent and surface geometry
- Area in m²; overall dimensions and curvature measurements in mm or m; orientation recorded separately Extent and geometry affect documentation, access, installation and handling.
- Assembly condition
- Mapped intact, loose, missing, cracked, displaced, detached or unassessed regions with observation dates Condition determines whether contact, loading, cleaning or movement can proceed.
- Original and altered fabric
- Regions linked to evidence of original work, replacement, infill, reassembly or uncertain attribution Later interventions can change both the appearance and physical behaviour of the mosaic.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.mosaic-artifact
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 5 bundles · 9 layers · 14 findings · 22 questions.
Mosaic identity and boundaries Establishes what physical assembly counts as this mosaic and which interpretation of the name applies.
The registry lacks a definition, and mosaic can denote unrelated phenomena or assemblies that overlap neighbouring techniques.
Physical mosaic recognition
Tests whether the visible composition is formed by an assembly of physical pieces.
Piece-built composition
Record evidence that discrete pieces, their surfaces and their arrangement constitute the design.
- Which visible features establish that the composition consists of separate physical pieces? definition
- Where does this example overlap tiling, inlay or another technique, and what boundary is being applied? boundary
Extent and fragment membership
Defines the mosaic's perimeter and the membership of separated or relocated portions.
Whole, fragments and surroundings
Distinguish the mosaic from its architectural surroundings and record evidence connecting detached portions.
- Which borders, panels, detached fragments and immediate support layers belong to this mosaic? boundary
- What records or physical correspondences support assigning separated fragments to the same assembly? provenance
Pieces and composition Describes the constituent pieces and how their placement creates the mosaic's visible structure.
A mosaic's identity depends on relationships between pieces, including material, scale, orientation and spacing.
Piece material and form
Records the material and geometry of pieces without treating the entire mosaic as one homogeneous substance.
Piece populations
Group or individually document pieces by material, shape, dimensions and finish, retaining identification uncertainty.
- Which piece materials and finishes have been identified, by what methods and with what confidence? provenance
- What are the measured size and thickness ranges for each piece population, and where were samples taken? measurement
Design and placement
Captures the organisation of pieces into courses, fields, motifs and borders.
Placement grammar
Record how piece direction, colour, spacing and grouping establish the composition and its local variations.
- How do piece orientation, course direction and colour grouping define motifs, fields and borders? definition
- Which measured joint widths and placement irregularities must be preserved or considered when matching a missing region? measurement
Bedding, support and installation Records the assembly beneath and between pieces and its connection to the installed setting.
The visible pieces alone cannot establish stability; attachment, bedding and support govern how the mosaic remains assembled.
Joints and bedding
Distinguishes materials between pieces from layers beneath them and records their attachment roles.
Attachment layer sequence
Document the observed layer sequence, material identifications and inaccessible interfaces.
- What materials occupy the joints and bedding, and which identifications are observed, tested or inferred? provenance
- Which interfaces hold pieces in place, and where are voids, separation or uncertain attachment recorded? measurement
Support and setting
Connects the immediate support to surface orientation, surrounding structures and exposure.
Installed load and exposure paths
Record how the mosaic is supported and where loads, movement or water can reach the assembly.
- How is the mosaic supported in its current orientation, including edges, backing and mounting points? boundary
- What evidence about loading, support movement and water entry constrains access, installation or relocation? action
Condition and intervention Links mapped deterioration and alteration history to decisions about preserving or using the mosaic.
Intervention must account for local piece loss, concealed attachment failure and differences between original and replacement materials.
Damage and change
Documents defects at piece, joint and supporting-layer scales.
Mapped assembly failures
Locate losses, looseness, cracking, displacement and surface alteration while separating observations from proposed causes.
- Where are loose or missing pieces, open joints, cracks and detached regions, and how was each condition assessed? measurement
- Which defects have changed between dated inspections, and what evidence supports any proposed cause? provenance
Repair and treatment decisions
Records earlier modifications and the evidence needed to choose further work.
Intervention compatibility
Connect replacement, cleaning, stabilisation and movement proposals to the mosaic's mixed materials and documented condition.
- Which pieces, joint fills, coatings or backing layers were added or changed, and what documentation identifies those interventions? provenance
- What local testing and stability evidence are required before the proposed cleaning, replacement, stabilisation or movement? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- The sense is inferred from PHY.MAT: this describes a physical decorative assembly, not biological mosaicism or a composite digital image.
- Mosaic is not a single chemical substance; composition, dimensions, durability and hazards depend on its pieces, binder and support.
- Applicable installation standards and performance requirements should be checked for the particular materials, use and jurisdiction.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of mosaic this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Stone mosaic
- Glass mosaic
- Ceramic mosaic
- Pebble mosaic
- Micromosaic
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of mosaic this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Decorative floor and wall finishes
- Architectural murals and religious imagery
- Swimming pool linings using suitable materials and installation systems
- Public artworks
- Small decorative objects and jewellery
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of mosaic this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Loss of adhesion can cause individual tesserae or whole sections to detach.
- Movement or cracking in the supporting substrate can disrupt the mosaic.
- Moisture, soluble salts and freeze-thaw exposure can damage susceptible materials and bedding layers.
- Wet or polished floor mosaics can present a slipping hazard.
- Cutting silica-containing tesserae or mortar can generate hazardous respirable dust.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of mosaic this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Roman mosaic traditions prominently used stone tesserae for floors.
- Byzantine mosaic traditions prominently used glass and gold-bearing tesserae for walls and vaults.
- Moroccan zellij uses cut glazed ceramic pieces assembled into geometric patterns.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of mosaic this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Tile - A tile is an individual surfacing unit; a mosaic is an arrangement of multiple pieces forming a decorative whole.
- Terrazzo - Terrazzo generally contains aggregate chips distributed through a binder and exposed by finishing; mosaic pieces are individually arranged.
- Inlay - Inlay inserts material into recesses in a host surface; a mosaic need not use recesses and can cover its support continuously.
- Mosaic technique - The technique is the activity of making mosaics; this entry describes the resulting physical surface or object.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of mosaic this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Does the registry intend the physical decorative assembly, a construction product category or another sense of mosaic?
- Does an existing Vercy world model already cover this physical mosaic concept and therefore need a registry link instead of a separate publication?
- What inclusion rule should resolve borderline examples involving tile coverings, cut-stone compositions, inlay and mixed techniques?
- Which documented mosaic techniques require additional construction layers or piece-level characteristics beyond this proposed structure?
- Which specialist sources and inspection methods should establish material-specific treatment constraints and condition assessment criteria?