--- title: Personification of Ktisis from Antioch author: Prolet Decheva source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19255/personification-of-ktisis-from-antioch/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) updated: 2024-08-01 --- # Personification of Ktisis from Antioch _Authored by Prolet Decheva_ ## Image File [![Personification of Ktisis from Antioch](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19255.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19255.jpg) ## Image Caption Late antique [mosaic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mosaic/) floor depicting Ktisis (Gr. ΚΤΙΣΙΣ), personification of 'Foundation', originally from a villa at [Antioch](https://www.worldhistory.org/Antiochia/), 5th century. Worcester Art Museum. The floor was found during the archaeological campaigns at ancient Antioch (modern-day Antakya, [Turkey](https://www.worldhistory.org/Asia_Minor/)), led by Princeton University between 1932 and 1939. The mosaic belonged to a room in the so-called House of Ge and the [Seasons](https://www.worldhistory.org/Horae/), named after another floor mosaic in the villa depicting the goddess of the Earth, Ge (or [Gaia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gaia/)), surrounded by the personified figures of the four seasons, all labeled by [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) inscriptions. The fragments depicting [Ge](http://artmuseum.princeton.edu/collections/objects/29536) and the Seasons are now in the Princeton University Art Museum. Ktisis ('Foundation') is one of the most often depicted late antique personifications of abstract ideas. Such personifications, identifiable by their Greek name labels, were particularly popular in the Eastern [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/). In contrast to other depictions of Ktisis, here she lacks her frequent attribute, the measuring rod for the [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) foot, which is present, for example, in her depiction in the [Baths of Eustolios at Kourion](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10218/byzantine-mosaic-with-a-personification-of-ktisis/), on [Cyprus](https://www.worldhistory.org/cyprus/) (*in situ*), or in a fragment from a floor mosaic now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is, however, richly bejeweled, wearing a heavy diadem and pearl earrings, and as such comparable to other examples of this personification. Like other late antique personifications of abstract qualities known from 5th- and 6th-century floor mosaics, the figure of Ktisis in the Worcester Art Museum is shown as an isolated bust portrait gazing at the viewer from a medallion placed in the center of the floor and set against a geometric carpet. #### Editorial Review This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## Bibliography - Kondoleon, Christine (ed.). *Antioch: The Lost Ancient City.* Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000 - Leader, Ruth. "Name Labels on Late Antique Mosaics." *British Academy Review*, January-July (2001), pp. 48-50. - Levi, Doro. *Antioch Mosaic Pavements.* Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1947 ## External Links - [Ktisis Floor Mosaic - Worcester Art Museum](https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/33965/ktisis-floor-mosaic) - [Antioch, House of Ge and the Seasons, Plan | Visual Resources Collection, Princeton University](https://vrc.princeton.edu/researchphotographs/s/antioch/item/12214) ## Cite This Work ### APA Decheva, P. (2024, August 01). Personification of Ktisis from Antioch. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Decheva, Prolet. "Personification of Ktisis from Antioch." *World History Encyclopedia*, August 01, 2024. . ### MLA Decheva, Prolet. "Personification of Ktisis from Antioch." *World History Encyclopedia*, 01 Aug 2024, . ## License & Copyright Original image by **Prolet Decheva**. Submitted by [Prolet Decheva](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/pdecheva/ "User Page: Prolet Decheva"), published on 01 August 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.