History of York

268AD - 350AD

The Four Seasons Mosaic, which is now displayed in the Yorkshire Museum, was originally discovered in 1853 when drainage works were dug at Tanners Row in York. Three other mosaics were also found in the house, suggesting that it had a very wealthy owner.

The mosaic's exact age is not known but a coin depicting the Emperor Claudius Gothicus was discovered underneath it, so it must have been laid down during or after his reign (268-270AD).

The large square mosaic shows the head and shoulders of Medusa surrounded by the four seasons. When it was discovered it was described by historians as the finest ever found in York, even though it was damaged during the excavation process. Evidence of this damage can still be seen today. All that remains of Medusa is a few tell-tale snakes from her hair.

However the images on the mosaic still tell us about Romano-British culture. Medusa for example was a popular image in many Roman homes as it was thought her ability to turn people to stone would ward off evil and wrong doers. Seeing her on this mosaic also tells us that Mediterranean myths and legends continued to play a role in the lives of Romans living in Britain.

The four seasons were each shown with items associated with their time of year to identify them to viewers. Spring is depicted with a bird, Summer with a bunch of grapes, Autumn with a rake and Winter with a bare branch.

However there is something confusing about one of these pairings. It was thought in the early 20th century that the figure shown with the grapes was Autumn, as this is the fruit traditionally linked with this season by the Romans. But this meant the seasons were shown in the wrong sequence. 

The mix-up is now blamed on 19th century conservationists rather than Roman mosaic makers. An early account of the mosaic describes not grapes but more general ‘fruit and foliage’ appearing with the figure in the bottom left-hand corner. And according to an 1892 restoration handbook that corner was damaged by water when in storage. This suggests that the grapes are a later addition by conservators trying to fix the damaged area. 

The images on this mosaic also show how the Romans were influenced by their surroundings. The use of a rake as an indicator of Autumn has been called a ‘Romano-British peculiarity’ as it reflects a British practice. Images and artistic style differed across the Roman Empire and the Four Seasons Mosaic tells us that although the Romans had a huge impact on the Britons, Britain also influenced the Romans.