Mosaics of Roman Tunisia Part 2

[sulla felix]

Seasons/Calendar mosaic in the Sousse Museum, Tunisia

[sulla felix]

Wild Animals of Roman Africa, as seen in the mosaics in the Sousse Museum, Tunisia:

Bear
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/ ... x/Bear.jpg

Lion
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/ ... x/Lion.jpg

Cheetah (or Leopard?)
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/ ... heetah.jpg

Tiger
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/ ... /Tiger.jpg

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

The feline in question looks to me more like a leopard esp. when comparing it to the felines depicted on the Magerius mosaic from Smirat which shows a venatio. Of course we are talking about art and this could always be stylized but I'm pretty sure since the dots of the fur are shown pretty accurately as more being rings than dots it is a leopard, because cheetahs are dotted. Also cheetahs are very slender while leopards are more sturdy built. So I would say it's a leopard shown on that mosaic.

[sulla felix]

Medusa,

I think you are probably right! I stood for a long while in front of this mosaic trying to figure this out. :?

Thanks