Pyrrha's Roman
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the replica is now on display in Prinknash Abbey, Glos.



We were fortunate to see this wonderful mosaic on the final day it was displayed in Stroud during August 2000. Bob Woodward explained to an entranced audience how he and his brother had made it.
You can see Orpheus himself at '9 o'clock', surrounded by circles of admiring birds and animals. Water nymphs are at each corner and there are fine geometric panels round the edges.




Here is Orpheus, playing his lyre. Bob undertook extensive research to find out everything known about the original mosaic, and tried to make it as authentic as possible. The central section was very damaged, but it is thought that there may have been a water feature there.




Wonderful sections of geometric patterning.




Bob told us that he had been able to identify which sections of the acanthus swirls on the original had been made by less competent craftsmen, as some contained significantly less detail.




Notice the mythological griffin.




According to early sketches of the mosaic, the elephant (now lost) really did look like this!




A closer view of the nymphs - perhaps included because after Orpheus' death his head floated down a river, still singing.




Bob with his magnificent creation.


Since it is highly unlikely that the original mosaic, which is buried under a churchyard, will ever be revealed again, this wonderful replica deserves a permanent home so that it can be seen by all lovers of Roman mosaics.

I wrote the above sentence in August 2000, and now I'm delighted to find that the mosaic is being displayed in Prinknash Abbey!

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