Issued in conjunction with the exhibition 'Stories in stone: conserving mosaics of Roman Africa,' held at the Getty Villa, Malibu, Oct. 26-Apr. 30, 2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Foreword / Mohamed Beji Ben Mami ; Foreword / Michael Brand and Timothy P. Whalen ; Introduction / Janet Burnett Grossman and Kristin Kelly -- The birth of the mosaic in the Mediterranean Basin / Aicha Ben Abed -- Landscapes and scenes of daily life in pavement mosaics from ancient Tunisia / Taher Ghalia -- Beliefs, gods, and myths / Leila Ladjimi Sebai -- The representation of intellectual life in mosaic art of Roman Africa / Mongi Ennaifer -- Pugilist spectacles and athletic games in proconsular Africa / Mustapha Khanoussi -- Christian mosaics in Tunisia / Fathi Bejaoui -- The conservation of mosaics in situ : preserving context and integrity / Thomas Roby -- From floor to wall : lifting and exhibition practices applied to ancient floor mosaics / Jerry Podany.

During the reign of the Roman Empire, many of the town houses and rural estates in North Africa were decorated with beautiful and elaborate mosaics. These often stunning works were especially widespread in what is now modern-day Tunisia. This stunning volume is structured around four principal themes - Nature, Theatre and Spectacle, Gods and Myths, and Technique - and features 27 mosaics from Tunisia's leading museums. "Stories in Stone" also contains nine richly illustrated essays that illuminate the history of mosaic art, the development of the principal themes, and the conservation of mosaic art both in museums and in situ.