It is in Mesopotamia that were found the first mosaics dating from the 4th century B.C. At that time, pebbles of various shapes and sizes were mainly used as material. The Sumerians worked with pieces of red, white and black baked clay. The mosaic technique spread then to the entire Mediterranean area. From the 4th century B.C., the Greeks started to use stones and glass to obtain a smoother surface and more elaborate designs. The Romans took over this technique and added an extreme refinement to it, which spread to the entire Latin World. (>next)