Pavimentum
（
ἔδαφος, δάπεδον). A flooring composed of small pieces of
brick, tiling, stone, and shells, placed in a bed of cement and beaten down solid by a rammer
(
pavicula). The name is also applied to artificial flooring composed of
coloured marbles, often of elaborate workmanship and design. Such were
1.
the
pavimentum sectile of mar
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Pavimentum Sectile. (Ancient Floor in the Church of S. Croce, Rome.)
|
bles cut (
secta) into sets of regular form and size, such as
squares, hexagons, etc.;
2.
pavimentum tessellatum of marbles cut in regular dies without
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|
Pavimentum Tessellatum. (Baths of Caracalla, Rome.)
|
the admixture of other forms;
3.
pavimentum vermiculatum, a mosaic flooring representing nat
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Pavimentum Vermiculatum. (Rich.)
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ural objects, animate or inanimate; and
4.
pavimentum scalpturatum, on which designs were produced by engraving
or inlaying. Another kind of flooring (
pavimentum testaceum) was made of
broken pieces of pottery (
testae).
