Visual and Functional Aspects of Inscriptions in Early Church Floors

Abstract

Floor mosaics in early churches often display inscriptions of various kinds: names and labels, artists’ signatures, donor inscriptions, longer epigrams and, more rarely, Biblical quotations. Examining a selection of monuments of the fourth to sixth centuries, from both East and West, this paper discusses visual aspects of design, layout and framing, the functions of inscriptions and the relationship of text to image. While some examples appear to be representative for general tendencies in the period, others are unique and generalizations cannot be drawn from them. The paper demonstrates that the floor inscriptions in early churches had many purposes: they labeled figures, explained scenes, commemorated benefactors. Even a random selection of inscriptions shows that care was taken to make the words integral to the mosaic decoration, both aesthetically and conceptually. Placed in the “humblest” part of the church, the floor inscriptions may offer a first key to unlocking the cosmic meaning of the sacred space of the church.