Antioch Mosaic Transportation Maps (Gabriella Hu, ARP.3)
Selection from Antioch Mosaic Transportation Maps Storymap. Gabriella Hu
This past semester, I worked with Professor Stager to research and map the transportation information on some mosaics excavated in Antioch. I am a junior studying mechanical engineering, but I have an interest in art history and mosaics. I took Prof. Stager’s class this past semester to learn more about mosaics, the history of a region I did not previously know much about, and research processes for an unfamiliar field. After establishing a background on Antioch and the excavations, I was drawn to the treatment of the mosaics post excavation – relocation and conservation. From there, I became interested in the shipping and importation of the mosaics, as they were dispersed to several countries around the world. Throughout my research, I reached out to many museums and explored the extensive resources in the Princeton archives.
My research efforts culminated in an ArcGIS StoryMap page. This page utilizes several separate maps to display information on locations and correspondence between those involved with the excavation work in Antioch, the museums in the US, and the shipping companies. I see this page as a database catering to researchers looking for a new understanding of a specific mosaic or group of mosaics. Researchers are able to easily find information via the maps and organized folders of correspondence documents. All the information in these maps was drawn directly from primary source letters and telegrams. As a result of sifting through the files, I have created a folder of correspondence organized by museum. This folder is linked with the maps so that both may be referenced by researchers.
There were many interesting finds, but the most interesting thing that I read was that the mosaics were originally intended to be kept together until the conclusion of the campaign. At that point, they would go on “tour” and be exhibited together at each of the subscribing institutions. This did not happen, as there is evidence of mosaics (Worcester’s, for example) being sent directly from Antakya to their final destination. Potential reasons for this deviation include the high cost of shipping, concerns about damage to the mosaics, and the donors’ eagerness to witness the results of the excavation. Research also unveiled disparities in mosaic prices, spanning from $100 for the Villanueva mosaic to $5000 for the Honolulu mosaic. The exorbitant shipping costs, stemming from the large, fragile, and heavy nature of these items, posed a significant constraint on institutions’ ability to procure these valuable artifacts. Madeleine Grabarczyk noted the interesting narrative between the mosaics in the US existing in elite institutions with large funds and the mosaics being from the houses of wealthy individuals.
In future phases of the Antioch Recovery Project or other Antioch mosaic research projects, I recommend initiatives to continue to collaborate with the BMA to peruse the registrar’s documents, expand this exploration of the shipping patterns to more mosaics, and organize the shipping information based on house or excavation areas. This holistic approach to the entire story of each mosaic will undoubtedly contribute to a deepened understanding of the intricate dynamics surrounding the Antioch mosaics. StoryMaps link: https://arcg.is/0SCnjr2
—Gabriella Hu
Cite as: Hu, Gabriella. “Antioch Mosaic Transportation Maps” Antioch Recovery Project (blog). 13 December 2023. www.antiochrecoveryproject.org/modeling-and-mapping/antioch-mosaic-transportation-maps-gabriella-hu-arp3