About ASPROM
Summer Symposium 2018: ASPROM members looking at the Seasons mosaic in the Yorkshire Museum. Photo by Pat Witts.
ASPROM was founded in 1978 as the British branch of the Association International pour l’Étude de la Mosaïque Antique (AIEMA). The main aims of AIEMA are to improve the documentation and recording of ancient mosaics and to foster dialogue between mosaic specialists through regular colloquia and publications. ASPROM is part of a network of national associations that fulfil these aims.
One of ASPROM’s initial objectives was to produce a comprehensive record of all the Roman mosaics ever found in Britain, thus preserving this precious evidence for the future. This project finally came to fruition with the publication of the four volumes of The Roman Mosaics of Britain, by David Neal and Stephen Cosh (2002–2010) — the first national corpus of mosaics to be completed. ASPROM provided practical support for the project, and its members helped to raise thousands of pounds to subsidise the cost of publishing the volumes and to allow as many of the mosaics as possible to be illustrated in colour.
ASPROM continues to support the study of ancient mosaics in various ways.
- We publish an annual colour-illustrated journal, Mosaic, with articles on mosaics from all over the ancient world.
- We organise two symposia a year — a one-day meeting in London in December and a summer weekend in a different venue each year, where members can see mosaics and discuss them.
The journal and the symposia are aimed at a wide audience and represent a variety of different approaches to ancient mosaics, such as iconographic studies, social history, scientific analysis and conservation. We also:
- provide grants for research, publication, conservation or display of ancient mosaics
- provide advice and support for individuals or organisations who are involved in excavating, studying, conserving or presenting ancient mosaics.