The History and Evolution of Tesserae in Architecture and Art

Tessera (plural: tesserae) is a Latin word that has been adopted into English to refer to a small, flat piece of material, such as a tile or a brick, used to cover a surface. The word is often used in the context of mosaics, where individual tesserae are arranged together to form a larger image or design.

In architecture, tesserae were originally used to describe the small, rectangular pieces of marble or other materials that were used to cover the walls and floors of ancient Roman buildings. These pieces were arranged in patterns to create intricate designs and decorative motifs.

Today, the word tessera is often used more broadly to refer to any small, flat piece of material that is used to cover a surface, regardless of its original purpose or context. For example, a tile or a brick might be described as a tessera, even if it is not part of a mosaic.