To discover the meaning of the term mosaic, it is necessary, first of all, to know its etymological origin. In this case, it must be emphasized that it derives from Latin, specifically from the word "mosaicum" which, in turn, emanates from the expression "opus mosaicum." What was intended with this was to refer to the mosaics of small tesserae and different colors that the Romans used as pavements.
A mosaic is a work that is made up of multiple fragments of glass or stones . Typically, these pieces have different colors to generate an attractive visual effect.
The Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), in its dictionary, mentions the mosaic as a work inlaid with its components. The concept of inlay , meanwhile, refers to that which is developed with elements obtained from different places .
Specifically, the pieces that allow you to create a mosaic are called tesserae . The artist must join the tiles using some binder until achieving an abstract, figurative or geometric composition, according to his interests and intentions.
It must be established that the mosaics have their origin in the Bronze Age since it is considered that they were already made in Crete. Of course, it was during the Roman Empire when they reached their greatest splendor. Likewise, it must be taken into account that they have continued to be carried out since then until today.
In the same way, it is interesting to know that there are different types of mosaics, among which the following stand out:
-Opus tessellatum, which is characterized by being composed of various colors and cubic-shaped tesserae.
-Opus sectile, which is made up of pieces of different colors and sizes. Pieces that can be hard or that can be made of marble.
-Opus regulatum, which is the mosaic that is presented in the form of a grid because all the tiles are perfectly aligned.
-Opus vermiculatum, which is characterized by having very small tesserae that can acquire curved shapes.
In the field of biology , on the other hand, a mosaic is an organism that develops with at least two types of tissues whose genetics are different . This means that the individual has two or more groups of cells with different genotypes, although they arise from the same zygote.
For computing , a mosaic is the simultaneous display of various documents on the computer screen. Thanks to this resource, the user can view the files on the same plane, managing them with ease.
The vertical support whose shaft (the sector located between the base and the capital ) is spiraled is also called a mosaic column . In this way, the shaft in question is contoured in a helical manner.
Mosaic, finally, is what is linked to Moses (the biblical prophet who received the table with the ten commandments from God ). The Mosaic Law , in this framework, is the code of rules of the ancient people of Israel.
Taking this meaning into account, it must be stated that in this case mosaic does not derive from "mosaicum" but from "mosaicus." This means "law of Moses" or "relating to Moses."