Newly found mosaic is optical illusion

The Guardian ^ | June 3, 2006 | John Hooper

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists studying an ancient mosaic found by workers laying cable south of Rome have been astonished to discover that it is an optical illusion. Viewed one way up it is a bald old man with a beard, but turned the other way round it is a beardless youth. Roberto Cereghino, a government archaeological official... said it appeared to be a depiction of Bacchus. The double face is surrounded by objects that were used in Bacchanalian rites: an ancient musical instrument, the sistrum, a two-handed drinking bowl, and a priestly wand. The mosaic's optical trickery may be linked to the fact that Bacchus was the god of wine.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

This is the last topic of the day, although it is at the top of the list.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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[Jemian]

No pictures with the articles. That would be very interesting indeed. Thanks for posting this.

[prion]

Man, I hate it when there are no pictures. Especially when the whole point is how something looks.

[SunkenCiv]

It is too bad. An Italian page, translated to English by Google also has no pic.

[sully777]

"...Viewed one way up it is a bald old man with a beard, but turned the other way round it is a beardless youth. Roberto Cereghino, a government archaeological official... said it appeared to be a depiction of Bacchus. The double face is surrounded by objects that were used in Bacchanalian rites: an ancient musical instrument, the sistrum, a two-handed drinking bowl, and a priestly wand...."

---

Found the picture



Who knew?

[martin_fierro]

You get the idea.

< |:)~

[ovrtaxt]

lol- don't get me started!

[Lurker]

So it doesn't really exist then?

L

[martin_fierro]

Archaeologists studying an ancient mosaic found by workers laying cable .... a depiction of Bacchus. The double face is surrounded by objects that were used in Bacchanalian rites....

I laid some pipe once at a Bacchanalian Rite.

But that's another story for another time.

[Petronski]

Sounds better than layin' pipe at a plumbers convention . . .

[ThreePuttinDude]

A little different, but I've always liked this one.

[john drake]

No offense, however I think the article would have been better suited to include a picture of the mosaic, don't you think?

[sully777]

Bacchus, Ceres and Cupid

---

A Roman mosaic of Dionysus (not found at archaeological site)

[freedumb2003]

No offense, however I think the article would have been better suited to include a picture of the mosaic, don't you think?

Normal view:

Reverse view:

[FairOpinion]

Neat!


Those "ancients" were cleverer, than we thought.

[martin_fierro]

Sistahfren' got a lotta junk in that trunk.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Cupid looks like he is saying, "Sheesh! Get a room."

[AFPhys]

"The mosaic has since been removed from the site for restoration, and there are plans to put it on display in Rome later this year."

It sounds like it is in need of some work to really show it. Some imagination might be needed now. That might explain the lack of picture.

[null and void]

A little different, but I've always liked this one.

It is rather sweet.