mi·cro mo·sa·ic | ˈmī-(ˌ)krō mō-ˈzā-ik
noun
A mosaic of very small, colored glass pieces (tesserae) inlaid in glass or hardstone
A micromosaic is a type of mosaic that involves piecing together incredibly small pieces of glass to make consolidated images. The smaller mosaic pieces are known as tesserae and are constructed of glass. Later pieces using this technique used an enamel-like material. There are several micromosaics surviving from ancient Rome and Byzantine artisans. These pieces date back to the 14th century and, in some cases, are as detailed and engaging as modern pieces using the same techniques. Micromosaic jewelry became popular in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries as wealthy Europeans traveled to locations like Italy. Jewelry with this technique fell out of fashion in the late 19th century.
