A ROMAN NILOTIC MOSAIC FRAGMENT, CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D. | A Roman Nilotic Mosaic Fragment

of arched form, depicting in multicoloured tesserae on a white background a pygmy or dwarf holding a pelta before him and wielding a spear at a balking crane, the figures alternating with three large flowers.

French private collection, acquired in the 1980s
acquired by the present owner on the art market in Marseille in June 2017

Possible areas of recomposed tesserae along green groundline in lower right corner, above shield, and between central flower and beak. These restorations appear to occur mostly in the white background and do not seem to affecting any of the figures significantly. Surface probably smoothed down and waxed.
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For a related example see LIMC VII, p. 598f., no. 53h, pl. 481.