RomanArmyTalk

I think that if we go back to the original subject of putting down a mosaic floor I did hear at one time that the Roman craftsmen did have samples to take to their customer, very much the same as today where one goes to the carpet supplier and check out all his designs.
Therefore it would appear that next week they would come along with these sample type squares and lay it as quick as possible to keep hold of a happy customer.

It would definitely make sense to be able to show their client what they can do but I would be more inclined to go with something like images scratched onto wood and (possibly?) painted. To have physical samples might work out a little heavy, even for small sections and unless they mounted them onto wood then they would crack after a while.

Would I be correct in saying that papyrus would have been too expensive to use for something like that?

Interesting comments re: innovation. So, the army readily adopted and adapted to new weapons and modes of warfare, but the rest of society was stagnant and did not innovate?