Medusa
In Greek mythology, the one of the three Gorgons who was mortal and whose head was cut off by Perseus. (Harris, 1977) Photo of the Medusa mosaic (also known as the Gorgon mosaic). The central part of the mosaic features a polychrome (multi-colored) bust of the gorgon Medusa, a popular protective motif (apotropaion) in Roman art believed to ward off evil. Her head is positioned within a circular shield of alternating black and white triangles, which creates an optical illusion of spinning motion. The design is enclosed within a square border, with wine-drinking cups (kantharoi), associated with the god Dionysos, in the corners. The mosaic dates back to the 1st or 2nd century AD and was discovered in the subsoil of the Esquiline district in Rome in 1910, Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome, Italy, 2025.
