B4 - Braided Essay FINAL

A​ ​MOSAIC​ ​OF​ ​MOSAICS

Danni​ ​Go

Eric​ ​Dean​ ​Wilson Integrative​ ​Seminar​ ​1:​ ​Shift December​ ​11,​ ​2017

Go​ ​2 Shards​ ​of​ ​glass,​ ​scrap​ ​tiles,​ ​and​ ​broken​ ​teacups.​ ​As​ ​useless​ ​and​ ​unsightly​ ​as​ ​these​ ​may sound,​ ​simple​ ​manipulation​ ​can​ ​easily​ ​turn​ ​these​ ​materials​ ​into​ ​something​ ​purposeful​ ​and beautiful.​ ​Mended​ ​together​ ​by​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​grout,​ ​these​ ​fragments​ ​are​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​many​ ​possible components​ ​to​ ​create​ ​breathtaking​ ​mosaics.

Mosaics​ ​date​ ​back​ ​to​ ​as​ ​early​ ​as​ ​the​ ​third​ ​millennium,​ ​or​ ​the​ ​Mesopotamian​ ​period.1 Since​ ​then,​ ​they​ ​have​ ​been​ ​adapted​ ​throughout​ ​history,​ ​especially​ ​during​ ​the​ ​Renaissance​ ​period.

According​ ​to​ ​Eric​ ​MacPhail’s​ ​“The​ ​Mosaic​ ​of​ ​Speech:​ ​A​ ​Classical​ ​Topos​ ​in​ ​Renaissance Aesthetics,”​ ​“The​ ​composite​ ​nature​ ​of​ ​mosaic​ ​appeals​ ​directly​ ​to​ ​the​ ​self-image​ ​of​ ​humanism​ ​as a​ ​painstaking​ ​recovery​ ​and​ ​rearrangement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​tradition.”2​ ​In​ ​other​ ​words,​ ​just​ ​like piecing​ ​together​ ​a​ ​mosaic,​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​can​ ​create​ ​how​ ​they​ ​wish​ ​to​ ​be​ ​perceived​ ​by​ ​using history.​ ​It​ ​goes​ ​without​ ​saying​ ​that​ ​each​ ​individual​ ​is​ ​shaped​ ​by​ ​“tradition,”​ ​or​ ​what​ ​he​ ​or​ ​she​ ​has grown​ ​accustomed​ ​to​ ​throughout​ ​his​ ​or​ ​her​ ​life.​ ​This​ ​correlates​ ​with​ ​the​ ​main​ ​goal​ ​of​ ​the Renaissance​ ​period​ ​which​ ​was​ ​to​ ​embody​ ​humanism.​ ​Back​ ​then,​ ​this​ ​was​ ​achieved​ ​by​ ​the practice​ ​of​ ​empiricism,​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​one’s​ ​experiences​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​knowledge​ ​about​ ​history​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to preserve​ ​antiquity​ ​and​ ​better​ ​one’s​ ​human​ ​conduct.

MacPhail’s​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​a​ ​mosaic,​ ​the​ ​piecing​ ​together​ ​fragments​ ​of​ ​material​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a masterpiece,​ ​is​ ​analogous​ ​to​ ​the​ ​piecing​ ​together​ ​of​ ​one’s​ ​“self-image”.​ ​This​ ​acknowledges​ ​the fact​ ​that​ ​each​ ​person​ ​is​ ​shaped​ ​by​ ​what​ ​they​ ​experience​ ​in​ ​life.​ ​In​ ​its​ ​own​ ​way,​ ​each​ ​experience leaves​ ​an​ ​impression​ ​that​ ​one​ ​takes​ ​with​ ​them​ ​throughout​ ​their​ ​lifetime.​ ​Each​ ​piece​ ​symbolizes​ ​a new​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​acquired​ ​information​ ​as​ ​a​ ​component​ ​to​ ​make​ ​up​ ​one’s​ ​essence,​ ​as​ ​everything​ ​an ​ ​Carinemahy,​ ​“Mosaic​ ​-​ ​Ancient​ ​History​ ​Encyclopedia,”​ ​Ancient​ ​History​ ​Encyclopedia, last​ ​modified​ ​April​ ​28,​ ​2011,​ ​https://www.ancient.eu/Mosaic/.

2 ​ ​Eric​ ​MacPhail,​ ​“The​ ​Mosaic​ ​of​ ​Speech:​ ​A​ ​Classical​ ​Topos​ ​in​ ​Renaissance​ ​Aesthetics,” Journal​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Warburg​ ​and​ ​Courtauld​ ​Institutes​ ​66​ ​(2003):​ ​249-64.

1

Go​ ​3 individual​ ​encounters​ ​eventually​ ​becomes​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​he​ ​or​ ​she,​ ​or​ ​generally​ ​who​ ​they​ ​are​ ​as​ ​a person.​ ​Each​ ​individual​ ​is​ ​a​ ​masterpiece.

However,​ ​with​ ​all​ ​the​ ​information​ ​one​ ​can​ ​possibly​ ​be​ ​exposed​ ​to,​ ​not​ ​everything​ ​one acquires​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​useful​ ​in​ ​relation​ ​to​ ​the​ ​other​ ​acquired​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​information.​ ​At​ ​times,​ ​it​ ​is as​ ​if​ ​brains​ ​are​ ​trained​ ​to​ ​stick​ ​with​ ​what​ ​has​ ​already​ ​been​ ​learned​ ​and​ ​to​ ​not​ ​venture​ ​and​ ​make other​ ​connections.​ ​For​ ​instance,​ ​Michael​ ​Friendly​ ​says​ ​in​ ​“A​ ​Brief​ ​History​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mosaic Display,”​ ​that​ ​“mosaic​ ​displays​ ​have​ ​become​ ​a​ ​primary​ ​graphical​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​visualization​ ​and analysis​ ​of​ ​categorical​ ​data…”3​ ​It​ ​is​ ​safe​ ​to​ ​say​ ​that​ ​no​ ​one​ ​would​ ​have​ ​ever​ ​thought​ ​mosaics were​ ​used​ ​for​ ​data​ ​visualization.​ ​Because​ ​everyone​ ​has​ ​the​ ​impression​ ​that​ ​mosaics​ ​are​ ​only​ ​used for​ ​aesthetic​ ​and​ ​architectural​ ​design,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​conditioned​ ​to​ ​leave​ ​it​ ​as​ ​a​ ​widely​ ​held​ ​belief, letting​ ​it​ ​go​ ​unquestioned.

Certain​ ​things​ ​may​ ​not​ ​have​ ​any​ ​connection​ ​to​ ​another,​ ​when​ ​in​ ​reality,​ ​they​ ​just​ ​might.

Human​ ​rights​ ​and​ ​civil​ ​liberties​ ​attorney​ ​Jameer​ ​Jaffer​ ​disputes​ ​the​ ​mosaic​ ​theory,​ ​in​ ​which “seemingly​ ​insignificant​ ​information​ ​may​ ​become​ ​significant​ ​when​ ​combined​ ​with​ ​other information.”4​ ​Though​ ​bits​ ​of​ ​information​ ​may​ ​not​ ​seem​ ​like​ ​they​ ​make​ ​sense​ ​on​ ​their​ ​own,​ ​it does​ ​not​ ​mean​ ​they​ ​will​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​have​ ​no​ ​meaning​ ​when​ ​combined​ ​with​ ​other​ ​nonsense information.​ ​In​ ​other​ ​words,​ ​combined​ ​nonsense​ ​makes​ ​sense.

Jaffer​ ​continues​ ​to​ ​explain​ ​how​ ​“innocuous​ ​information​ ​can​ ​be​ ​analyzed​ ​and​ ​fitted​ ​into place​ ​to​ ​reveal​ ​with​ ​startling​ ​clarity​ ​how​ ​the​ ​unseen​ ​whole​ ​must​ ​operate.”5​ ​It​ ​is​ ​like​ ​a​ ​puzzle.

And​ ​like​ ​a​ ​puzzle,​ ​a​ ​mosaic​ ​is​ ​made​ ​up​ ​of​ ​smaller​ ​pieces​ ​that​ ​are​ ​formed​ ​together​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a ​ riendly.​ ​"A​ ​Brief​ ​History​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​Display."​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Computational F and​ ​Graphical​ ​Statistics​ ​11,​ ​no.​ ​1​ ​(2002):​ ​89-107.​ ​http://www.jstor.org/stable/1391129​.

4 ​ ​Jameel​ ​Jaffer,​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Theory."​ ​Social​ ​Research​ ​77,​ ​no.​ ​3​ ​(2010):​ ​873-82.

5 ​ ​Ibid.

3

​ ​Michael​

Go​ ​4 bigger​ ​picture.​ ​Each​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​the​ ​puzzle​ ​or​ ​the​ ​mosaic​ ​is​ ​“analyzed”​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​figure​ ​out​ ​where it​ ​should​ ​be​ ​“fitted​ ​into​ ​place”​ ​to​ ​reveal​ ​a​ ​bigger​ ​picture.​ ​At​ ​first,​ ​the​ ​pieces​ ​may​ ​not​ ​make​ ​any sense,​ ​but​ ​not​ ​until​ ​combined​ ​and​ ​interacted​ ​with​ ​other​ ​pieces.​ ​Eventually,​ ​it​ ​will​ ​start​ ​to​ ​flow together​ ​as​ ​a​ ​whole​ ​to​ ​unveil​ ​a​ ​deeper​ ​meaning.​ ​Jaffer’s​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​a​ ​mosaic​ ​as​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​for making​ ​connections​ ​to​ ​arrive​ ​at​ ​bigger​ ​and​ ​bolder​ ​solutions​ ​ultimately​ ​differs​ ​from​ ​MacPhail,​ ​as it​ ​focuses​ ​on​ ​one’s​ ​relation​ ​to​ ​the​ ​outside​ ​world​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​themselves.

The​ ​piecing​ ​together​ ​of​ ​information​ ​does​ ​not​ ​just​ ​stop​ ​there.​ ​Jaffer’s​ ​concept​ ​of​ ​a​ ​mosaic theory​ ​is​ ​also​ ​embodied​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​American​ ​theologian​ ​Matthew Levering,​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law​ ​entails​ ​using​ ​Moses’​ ​wisdom​ ​and​ ​teachings​ ​to​ ​truly​ ​understanding​ ​the life​ ​of​ ​Christ.6​ ​Moses’​ ​knowledge​ ​serves​ ​as​ ​the​ ​puzzle​ ​pieces​ ​to​ ​reveal​ ​Christ.​ ​This​ ​then​ ​models Jaffer’s​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​connecting​ ​bits​ ​of​ ​information​ ​to​ ​arrive​ ​at​ ​a​ ​more​ ​meaningful​ ​and​ ​substantial answer.​ ​Except​ ​in​ ​this​ ​case,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​in​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​the​ ​life​ ​of​ ​Christ.

Italian-Dominican​ ​philosopher​ ​and​ ​theologian​ ​Thomas​ ​Aquinas​ ​believed​ ​this​ ​Law​ ​allows for​ ​the​ ​Christian​ ​community​ ​to​ ​prepare​ ​for​ ​the​ ​various​ ​forms​ ​Christ​ ​chooses​ ​to​ ​reveal​ ​Himself.

Aquinas​ ​was​ ​known​ ​for​ ​“​understanding​ ​[the​ ​Catholic​ ​Church’s]​ ​teachings​ ​concerning​ ​the Christian​ ​revelation.”7​ ​His​ ​teachings​ ​went​ ​along​ ​the​ ​lines​ ​of,​ ​“​If​ ​it​ ​speaks​ ​of​ ​God​ ​what​ ​it​ ​says​ ​is

conditioned​ ​by​ ​what​ ​is​ ​known​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world.”8​ ​Another​ ​way​ ​to​ ​put​ ​this​ ​is​ ​that​ ​if​ ​someone’s actions​ ​are​ ​done​ ​in​ ​God’s​ ​likeness,​ ​it​ ​trains​ ​them​ ​to​ ​think​ ​living​ ​such​ ​a​ ​life​ ​will​ ​entail​ ​a spiritual​ ​reward​ ​for​ ​them​ ​in​ ​the​ ​end.​ ​With​ ​this,​ ​people​ ​are​ ​encouraged​ ​to​ ​act​ ​in​ ​the​ ​goodness​ ​of ​ evering,​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Law."​ ​In​ ​Paul​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Summa​ ​Theologiae​,​ ​109-52.

L Washington,​ ​D.C.:​ ​Catholic​ ​University​ ​of​ ​America​ ​Press,​ ​2014.

7 ​ ​Ralph​ ​McInerny​ ​and​ ​John​ ​O'Callaghan,​ ​"Saint​ ​Thomas​ ​Aquinas",​ ​The​ ​Stanford Encyclopedia​ ​of​ ​Philosophy​ ​(Winter​ ​2016​ ​Edition),​ ​Edward​ ​N.​ ​Zalta​ ​(ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/aquinas/.

8 ​ ​Ibid.

6

​ ​Matthew​

Go​ ​5 the​ ​Lord​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​start​ ​their​ ​path​ ​towards​ ​salvation,​ ​or​ ​in​ ​other​ ​words,​ ​Heaven.​ ​However,​ ​this is​ ​where​ ​dispute​ ​arises.

Reformist​ ​Martin​ ​Luther​ ​reasoned​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law​ ​removes​ ​the​ ​sheer​ ​goodness​ ​of one’s​ ​actions.9​ ​Instead​ ​of​ ​naturally​ ​and​ ​genuinely​ ​acting​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​kindness​ ​of​ ​their​ ​hearts, people​ ​are​ ​simply​ ​doing​ ​such​ ​acts​ ​because​ ​they​ ​are​ ​motivated​ ​and​ ​convinced​ ​that​ ​it​ ​will guarantee​ ​them​ ​a​ ​place​ ​in​ ​Heaven.​ ​To​ ​Luther,​ ​that​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be​ ​the​ ​case.​ ​People​ ​should​ ​be performing​ ​selfless,​ ​kind​ ​acts,​ ​regardless​ ​of​ ​the​ ​reward​ ​that​ ​comes​ ​with​ ​doing​ ​so.​ ​Luther​ ​was known​ ​to​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​achieving​ ​salvation​ ​was​ ​done​ ​independently​ ​and​ ​for​ ​personal​ ​sake,​ ​not​ ​to fulfill​ ​one’s​ ​desire​ ​to​ ​acquire​ ​salvation.​ ​Though​ ​he​ ​believes​ ​actions​ ​can​ ​be​ ​done​ ​towards​ ​one’s salvation,​ ​he​ ​believes​ ​in​ ​predestination,​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​that​ ​even​ ​before​ ​birth,​ ​our​ ​ultimate​ ​destiny​ ​is already​ ​predetermined.​ ​In​ ​short,​ ​whether​ ​or​ ​not​ ​one​ ​ends​ ​up​ ​in​ ​Heaven​ ​or​ ​Hell​ ​has​ ​already​ ​been decided.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​now​ ​just​ ​a​ ​matter​ ​of​ ​acting​ ​in​ ​the​ ​image​ ​and​ ​likeness​ ​of​ ​God. On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand,​ ​Levering​ ​claims​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law​ ​is​ ​“an​ ​imperfectly​ ​good​ ​law”.10​ ​With the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law,​ ​“it​ ​does​ ​not​ ​overcome​ ​our​ ​concupiscence.”11​ ​What​ ​this​ ​means​ ​is​ ​that​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of using​ ​Moses’​ ​teachings​ ​as​ ​a​ ​stepping​ ​stone​ ​does​ ​not​ ​completely​ ​overshadow​ ​an​ ​individual’s desire​ ​for​ ​salvation.​ ​To​ ​Levering,​ ​practicing​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law​ ​does​ ​not​ ​extract​ ​the​ ​goodness​ ​out​ ​of one’s​ ​actions,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​what​ ​Luther​ ​believes.​ ​Levering​ ​says,​ ​“God’s​ ​grace​ ​enables​ ​us​ ​to​ ​fulfill God’s​ ​law,​ ​and​ ​so​ ​the​ ​grace​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Holy​ ​Spirit,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​conferred​ ​by​ ​Christ​ ​Jesus,​ ​perfects​ ​and

​ ​Matthew​ ​Levering,​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Law."​ ​In​ ​Paul​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Summa​ ​Theologiae​,​ ​109-52.

Washington,​ ​D.C.:​ ​Catholic​ ​University​ ​of​ ​America​ ​Press,​ ​2014.

10 ​ ​Ibid.

11 ​ ​Ibid.

9

Go​ ​6 fulfills​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law.”12​ ​As​ ​long​ ​as​ ​our​ ​actions​ ​are​ ​signaled​ ​by​ ​God’s​ ​blessings,​ ​then​ ​it​ ​is​ ​safe to​ ​say​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​acting​ ​with​ ​genuine​ ​intention,​ ​and​ ​not​ ​to​ ​simply​ ​gain​ ​salvation.

These​ ​steps​ ​towards​ ​salvation​ ​goes​ ​in​ ​relation​ ​with​ ​“The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Theory​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Fourth Amendment”.​ ​Professor​ ​of​ ​law​ ​Orin​ ​S.​ ​Kerr​ ​talks​ ​about​ ​how​ ​the​ ​mosaic​ ​theory​ ​is​ ​used​ ​in accordance​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Fourth​ ​Amendment.​ ​The​ ​Fourth​ ​Amendment​ ​entails​ ​a​ ​person’s​ ​rights​ ​when it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​ownership​ ​and​ ​privacy.​ ​The​ ​mosaic​ ​theory​ ​states​ ​that,​ ​“…searches​ ​can​ ​be​ ​analyzed​ ​as a​ ​collective​ ​sequence​ ​of​ ​steps​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​as​ ​individual​ ​steps…​ ​Identifying​ ​Fourth​ ​Amendment searches​ ​requires​ ​analyzing​ ​police​ ​actions​ ​over​ ​time​ ​as​ ​a​ ​collective​ ​‘mosaic’​ ​of​ ​surveillance.”13 With​ ​this,​ ​searching​ ​a​ ​person’s​ ​property​ ​is​ ​done​ ​in​ ​a​ ​multitude​ ​of​ ​steps​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​single​ ​steps.

This​ ​allows​ ​for​ ​the​ ​searches​ ​to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​productive,​ ​as​ ​it​ ​“[requires]​ ​courts​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​an​ ​extensive list​ ​of​ ​difficult​ ​and​ ​novel​ ​questions.”14 A​ ​sequence​ ​of​ ​steps​ ​is​ ​also​ ​taken​ ​when​ ​creating​ ​mosaic​ ​gold.​ ​By​ ​melting​ ​together​ ​tin, mercury,​ ​sal​ ​ammoniac,​ ​and​ ​sulphur,​ ​then​ ​baking​ ​the​ ​mixture​ ​with​ ​increasing​ ​heat,​ ​mosaic​ ​gold is​ ​created​ ​once​ ​golden​ ​sparkles​ ​appear.15​ ​Mosaic​ ​gold​ ​was​ ​its​ ​own​ ​entity.​ ​ ​It​ ​was​ ​“priced​ ​as​ ​a pigment​ ​for​ ​its​ ​own​ ​inherent​ ​properties.”16​ ​Its​ ​purpose​ ​was​ ​not​ ​to​ ​replace​ ​gold​ ​itself​ ​or​ ​to​ ​imitate it,​ ​but​ ​to​ ​be​ ​distinguished​ ​individually​ ​for​ ​its​ ​own​ ​facets.​ ​Mosaic​ ​gold​ ​was​ ​also​ ​used​ ​in​ ​reference to​ ​technical​ ​literature​ ​which​ ​“[reflects]​ ​an​ ​enthusiasm​ ​for​ ​technological​ ​development​ ​rather​ ​than the​ ​belief​ ​that​ ​an​ ​inexpensive​ ​substitute​ ​for​ ​gold​ ​had​ ​been​ ​discovered.”17 ​ ​Ibid.

12

​ .​ ​Kerr,​ ​"​The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Theory​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Fourth​ ​Amendment​."​ ​Michigan​ ​Law​ ​Review S 111,​ ​no.​ ​3​ ​(2012):​ ​311-54.

14 ​ ​Ibid.

15 ​ ​Janet​ ​L.​ ​Ross,​ ​"A​ ​Note​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Use​ ​of​ ​Mosaic​ ​Gold."​ ​Studies​ ​in​ ​Conservation​ ​18,​ ​no.​ ​4 (1973) 16 ​ ​Ibid.

17 ​ ​Ibid.

13

​ ​Orin​

Go​ ​7 Whether​ ​it​ ​is​ ​the​ ​mixing​ ​of​ ​different​ ​substances​ ​to​ ​for​ ​golden​ ​sparkles​ ​or​ ​the​ ​piecing together​ ​of​ ​information​ ​to​ ​arrive​ ​at​ ​a​ ​bigger​ ​conclusion,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​needless​ ​to​ ​say​ ​that​ ​the​ ​word “mosaic,”​ ​in​ ​all​ ​its​ ​different​ ​forms​ ​and​ ​meanings,​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​new​ ​perspective​ ​for​ ​fragmentation.

Despite​ ​the​ ​cracks,​ ​shatters,​ ​and​ ​gaps​ ​that​ ​yearn​ ​to​ ​be​ ​fixed,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​their​ ​unmended​ ​state​ ​that​ ​lends mosaics​ ​their​ ​meaningful​ ​and​ ​captivating​ ​features.​ ​No​ ​matter​ ​how​ ​broken​ ​of​ ​a​ ​state​ ​something​ ​is in,​ ​it​ ​does​ ​not​ ​mean​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​beauty,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​coming​ ​of​ ​it.

Go​ ​8 Annotated​ ​Bibliography Carinemahy.​ ​"Mosaic."​ ​Ancient​ ​History​ ​Encyclopedia​.​ ​Last​ ​modified​ ​April​ ​28,​ ​2011. https://www.ancient.eu/Mosaic/​.

This​ ​is​ ​a​ ​tertiary​ ​source​ ​that​ ​generally​ ​gives​ ​an​ ​overview​ ​of​ ​mosaics.​ ​It​ ​defines​ ​what​ ​a mosaic​ ​is:​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​art​ ​created​ ​by​ ​putting​ ​together​ ​colored​ ​glass​ ​or​ ​stone.​ ​Majority​ ​of​ ​the​ ​entry goes​ ​on​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​it​ ​in​ ​historical​ ​context.​ ​It​ ​lists​ ​the​ ​different​ ​places​ ​where​ ​the​ ​first​ ​findings​ ​of mosaics​ ​were​ ​discovered​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Mesopotamia,​ ​Susa,​ ​and​ ​Choqa​ ​Zanbil.​ ​Over​ ​time,​ ​mosaics made​ ​their​ ​way​ ​into​ ​other​ ​time​ ​periods​ ​like​ ​the​ ​Hellenistic​ ​and​ ​Roman​ ​periods.​ ​Then,​ ​mosaics adorned​ ​villas’​ ​and​ ​dwellings’​ ​floors.​ ​However,​ ​the​ ​more​ ​well-known​ ​mosaics​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Roman period​ ​happened​ ​to​ ​come​ ​from​ ​Africa​ ​and​ ​Syria.​ ​It​ ​does​ ​not​ ​come​ ​as​ ​a​ ​surprise​ ​that​ ​most​ ​mosaics from​ ​the​ ​Roman​ ​period​ ​were​ ​of​ ​mythology,​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​which​ ​depicting​ ​Neptune​ ​and​ ​Dionysus.

Besides​ ​the​ ​Roman​ ​period,​ ​mosaics​ ​also​ ​made​ ​an​ ​appearance​ ​during​ ​the​ ​Christian​ ​period​ ​which contained​ ​biblical​ ​subjects.​ ​This​ ​source​ ​lays​ ​down​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​for​ ​gaining​ ​a​ ​general​ ​idea​ ​on what​ ​mosaics​ ​are.

Friendly,​ ​Michael.​ ​"A​ ​Brief​ ​History​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​Display."​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Computational​ ​and Graphical​ ​Statistics​ ​11,​ ​no.​ ​1​ ​(2002):​ ​89-107.​ ​http://www.jstor.org/stable/1391129​.

From​ ​serving​ ​as​ ​narratives​ ​in​ ​Roman​ ​and​ ​Greek​ ​art​ ​to​ ​aestheticized​ ​architecture,​ ​mosaics have​ ​served​ ​multiple​ ​purposes​ ​beyond​ ​its​ ​beauty.​ ​Mosaics​ ​did​ ​not​ ​begin​ ​as​ ​a​ ​means​ ​of​ ​achieving a​ ​certain​ ​aesthetic.​ ​Rather,​ ​they​ ​were​ ​used​ ​for​ ​data​ ​visualization.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​rectangles, mosaics​ ​were​ ​used​ ​to​ ​present​ ​different​ ​types​ ​of​ ​information.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​almost​ ​used​ ​like​ ​today’s​ ​table graphs,​ ​where​ ​its​ ​rows​ ​and​ ​its​ ​columns​ ​are​ ​used​ ​to​ ​sort​ ​categorical​ ​data​ ​accordingly.​ ​This scholarly​ ​journal​ ​shows​ ​the​ ​functionality​ ​of​ ​mosaics​ ​besides​ ​their​ ​stunning​ ​appearances.

Go​ ​9 Jaffer,​ ​Jameel.​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Theory."​ ​Social​ ​Research​ ​77,​ ​no.​ ​3​ ​(2010):​ ​873-82. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40972296​.

The​ ​mosaic​ ​theory​ ​is​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​that​ ​unimportant​ ​information​ ​becomes​ ​important​ ​when combined​ ​with​ ​other​ ​unimportant​ ​information.​ ​Each​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​acquired​ ​information​ ​can​ ​be connected​ ​to​ ​other​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​acquired​ ​information​ ​which​ ​allows​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​to​ ​further​ ​their​ ​own knowledge.​ ​This​ ​helps​ ​in​ ​reaching​ ​a​ ​conclusion​ ​that​ ​was​ ​not​ ​very​ ​evident​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beginning.​ ​This concept​ ​resembles​ ​the​ ​assemblage​ ​that​ ​goes​ ​into​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​mosaic.​ ​Just​ ​like​ ​a​ ​mosaic,​ ​the​ ​mosaic theory​ ​embodies​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​piecing​ ​tiny​ ​bits​ ​of​ ​information​ ​together​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a​ ​bigger,​ ​more structured​ ​concept.​ ​This​ ​scholarly​ ​journal​ ​offers​ ​an​ ​ethical​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​mosaics.

Kerr,​ ​Orin​ ​S.​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Theory​ ​or​ ​the​ ​Fourth​ ​Amendment."​ ​Michigan​ ​Law Review​ ​111,​ ​no.​ ​3​ ​(2012):​ ​311-54.​ ​http://www.jstor.org/stable/41703445​.

In​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Fourth​ ​Amendment,​ ​which​ ​focuses​ ​on​ ​a​ ​person’s​ ​right​ ​to​ ​privacy​ ​and ownership,​ ​the​ ​mosaic​ ​theory​ ​proposes​ ​that​ ​searches​ ​can​ ​be​ ​observed​ ​as​ ​a​ ​collection​ ​of​ ​steps instead​ ​of​ ​individual​ ​steps.​ ​This​ ​perspective​ ​on​ ​mosaics​ ​shares​ ​possesses​ ​the​ ​concept​ ​of​ ​how certain​ ​things​ ​are​ ​achieved​ ​bit​ ​by​ ​bit,​ ​but​ ​are​ ​eventually​ ​looked​ ​at​ ​as​ ​a​ ​whole.​ ​Specifically,​ ​in​ ​this scholarly​ ​journal,​ ​a​ ​mosaic​ ​is​ ​used​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​carefully​ ​study​ ​and​ ​understand​ ​the​ ​Fourth Amendment​ ​and​ ​what​ ​it​ ​entails​ ​for​ ​a​ ​citizen.

Levering,​ ​Matthew.​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​Law."​ ​In​ ​Paul​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Summa​ ​Theologiae​,​ ​109-52.

Washington,​ ​D.C.:​ ​Catholic​ ​University​ ​of​ ​America​ ​Press,​ ​2014. doi:10.2307/j.ctt7zswbz.8.

In​ ​the​ ​religious​ ​aspect,​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law​ ​takes​ ​into​ ​account​ ​Moses’​ ​knowledge​ ​and​ ​lessons as​ ​a​ ​means​ ​to​ ​truly​ ​understand​ ​the​ ​life​ ​of​ ​Jesus​ ​Christ.​ ​Italian-Dominican​ ​philosopher​ ​and

Go​ ​10 theologian​ ​Thomas​ ​Aquinas​ ​believes​ ​this​ ​Law​ ​is​ ​for​ ​God’s​ ​people​ ​to​ ​prepare​ ​for​ ​His​ ​presence​ ​in the​ ​various​ ​forms​ ​He​ ​reveals​ ​Himself.​ ​Besides​ ​Aquinas,​ ​other​ ​significant​ ​figures​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Martin Luther​ ​from​ ​the​ ​period​ ​of​ ​Reformation​ ​disputes​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Mosaic​ ​law​ ​extracts​ ​the​ ​goodness​ ​of one’s​ ​actions,​ ​as​ ​they​ ​are​ ​simply​ ​motivated​ ​by​ ​their​ ​goal​ ​of​ ​achieving​ ​salvation.​ ​With​ ​this, “mosaic”​ ​meets​ ​religion​ ​and​ ​where​ ​the​ ​line​ ​is​ ​drawn​ ​when​ ​it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​understanding​ ​Christ’s​ ​life for​ ​the​ ​true​ ​desire​ ​to,​ ​or​ ​for​ ​the​ ​desire​ ​of​ ​making​ ​it​ ​to​ ​Heaven.

MacPhail,​ ​Eric.​ ​"The​ ​Mosaic​ ​of​ ​Speech:​ ​A​ ​Classical​ ​Topos​ ​in​ ​Renaissance​ ​Aesthetics."​ ​Journal of​ ​the​ ​Warburg​ ​and​ ​Courtauld​ ​Institutes​ ​66​ ​(2003):​ ​249-64. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40026317​.

During​ ​the​ ​Renaissance​ ​period,​ ​mosaics​ ​had​ ​the​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​retelling​ ​stories​ ​of​ ​classical antiquity.​ ​Back​ ​then,​ ​the​ ​goal​ ​was​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​and​ ​practice​ ​humanism,​ ​so​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​rearranging history​ ​resembles​ ​that​ ​of​ ​the​ ​physical​ ​process​ ​of​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​mosaic.​ ​On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand,​ ​mosaics themselves​ ​had​ ​a​ ​voice.​ ​The​ ​images​ ​they​ ​displayed​ ​allowed​ ​them​ ​to​ ​speak​ ​to​ ​its​ ​viewers.​ ​This source​ ​touches​ ​on​ ​the​ ​role​ ​of​ ​mosaics​ ​as​ ​an​ ​interactive​ ​and​ ​informative​ ​tool​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​speech other​ ​than​ ​visual​ ​material.

McInerny,​ ​Ralph​ ​and​ ​O'Callaghan,​ ​John.​ ​The​ ​Stanford​ ​Encyclopedia,​ ​Winter​ ​2016​ ​ed.,​ ​s.v.

“Saint Thomas​ ​Aquinas.”​ ​Stanford:​ ​Metaphysics​ ​Research​ ​Lab,​ ​2004. http://www.britannica.com/articles/id=2533​ ​(accessed​ ​December​ ​8,​ ​2017).

This​ ​encyclopedia​ ​entry​ ​is​ ​about​ ​well-known​ ​philosopher​ ​and​ ​theologian​ ​Thomas Aquinas.​ ​It​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​brief​ ​biography​ ​of​ ​the​ ​philosopher,​ ​but​ ​focuses​ ​mostly​ ​on​ ​his​ ​beliefs.​ ​It​ ​gives a​ ​detailed​ ​overview​ ​of​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​the​ ​life​ ​aspects​ ​he​ ​has​ ​covered​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Matter​ ​and​ ​Form,

Go​ ​11 Perception​ ​and​ ​Thought,​ ​Human​ ​Identity​ ​and​ ​Immortality,​ ​and​ ​more.​ ​This​ ​source​ ​gives​ ​context to​ ​Aquinas​ ​and​ ​his​ ​teachings​ ​as​ ​a​ ​philosopher​ ​and​ ​theologian.

Ross,​ ​Janet​ ​L.​ ​"A​ ​Note​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Use​ ​of​ ​Mosaic​ ​Gold."​ ​Studies​ ​in​ ​Conservation​ ​18,​ ​no.​ ​4​ ​(1973): 174-76.​ ​doi:10.2307/1505713.

By​ ​taking​ ​different​ ​substances​ ​(being​ ​tin,​ ​mercury,​ ​sal​ ​ammoniac,​ ​and​ ​sulphur),​ ​mosaic gold​ ​is​ ​formed,​ ​after​ ​the​ ​mixture​ ​is​ ​placed​ ​in​ ​a​ ​jar​ ​and​ ​baked​ ​with​ ​increasing​ ​heat.​ ​The​ ​result​ ​is​ ​a sparkling​ ​gold​ ​pigment.​ ​Mosaic​ ​gold​ ​was​ ​not​ ​seen​ ​as​ ​a​ ​substitute​ ​for​ ​gold​ ​itself,​ ​but​ ​was​ ​seen simply​ ​for​ ​its​ ​beautiful​ ​facets.​ ​Besides​ ​its​ ​physicality,​ ​mosaic​ ​gold​ ​plays​ ​a​ ​role​ ​in​ ​literature​ ​as well.​ ​In​ ​literature,​ ​mosaic​ ​gold​ ​reflected​ ​the​ ​eagerness​ ​for​ ​development​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​a​ ​deception,​ ​or a​ ​“substitute”.​ ​This​ ​source​ ​shares​ ​the​ ​different​ ​uses​ ​of​ ​mosaic​ ​gold,​ ​in​ ​the​ ​physical​ ​sense​ ​and​ ​in the​ ​world​ ​of​ ​literature.