Art & Design
Mosaic & Tile Art Quiz
From ancient Roman floors to Gaudí's trencadís, test your knowledge of mosaic and tile art across 50 questions spanning thousands of years of decorative mastery.
From ancient Roman floors to Gaudí's trencadís, test your knowledge of mosaic and tile art across 50 questions spanning thousands of years of decorative mastery.
The Alexander Mosaic alone contains roughly 1.5 million tesserae, and mosaic art dates back over 4,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. From Byzantine gold smalti to Moroccan zellige, this art form has adorned temples, palaces, and public spaces across every major civilization.
Each round presents 10 randomized multiple-choice questions drawn from a pool of 50, so every playthrough is different. You get instant feedback with explanations after each answer, plus a shareable score at the end.
You'll explore Roman opus tessellatum and opus vermiculatum, discover how Byzantine artists used gold-leaf smalti in Ravenna, and learn about Islamic geometric patterns that anticipated modern mathematics. The quiz also covers modern masters like Gaudí and street artist Invader.
The earliest known mosaics are cone mosaics from the 3rd millennium BC found at Uruk in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), made by pressing colored clay cones into wet plaster to create geometric patterns.
Tesserae are the small individual pieces used to create mosaics. They can be made from stone, glass, ceramic, or other materials and are typically cut into small cubes or irregular shapes before being set into mortar or adhesive.
Ravenna, Italy is widely considered the mosaic capital of the world, with stunning Byzantine mosaics at the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Other top destinations include Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the Alhambra in Granada, and Park Güell in Barcelona.
Last updated: April 2026