We returned to Heraklea (well I did; Madlyn's first visit) on June 28, 2013 to see the mosaics that are covered until the warmer months of summer. We were very fortunate to arrive in Bitola shortly before a very strong thunderstorm drenched the city and surrounding area; including giving Heraklea a good rinse from all of the dust. The benefit of the rain and the dampness added a bit more color to the tiles and better background representation.
The mosaics uncovered in Heraklea date back to the Byzantine time up to the 6th century; the mosaics are from 1400-1700 years old (depending on who is the guide!). All of the mosaics photographed are from the large and small Basilica and the Episcopal Residence in Heraklea; Heraklea was the seat of the Bishop; reporting directly to Constantinople.
The detail found in the mosaics displays great artistic talent from the creators of the various scenes found in the religious buildings. There are present in the mosaics, vivid shades of brown, red, yellow, green, blues, whites and the many hues that nature wears.
I am climbing from the ground to 4 foot high walls in order to photograph the mosaics; as you can see above, in some areas larges sections of the mosaic are missing, all in all though, Heraklea provides some of the most complete mosaics for viewing(there is minimal entrance fee and an additional cost to photograph) in Macedonia. Enjoy the mosaics that follow.
The above is a pomegranate tree; you can discern the distinctive pods of the pomegranate and the opening crown for access to the fruit.
The mosaic above covers an area of about 30x60 feet; at one time the floor was covered in a mosaic that told a story specific about the purpose of the room in the Basilica/Episcopal Residence. I am standing on a back wall taking this photograph.
This is the most ornate or busy mosaic; you can see ducks, geese, chickens and wild birds; bags of vegetables; wine pitchers (maybe water); possibly shafts of wheat and a lot of color variations on display. We thought this might be a large/formal dining area for the Bishop due to all the apparent references to food/bounty.
Even the statues looked a little "fresher" after the rain; the museum had a theater mask display in support of the ongoing activities in the Greek/Roman theater of Heraklea.
The trip to Heraklea from Skopje is an easy drive on great roads; Bitola has some outstanding restaurants; significant historical importance in addition to Heraklea. You can even make it a "wine" country trip with a bit of history on the side; you must pass through the heart of the wine region of Macedonia on your drive to Heraklea; I mean, what more incentive does one person need to cruise to Heraklea; oh, and in summer you pass by the best (in my opinion) open-air "real" farmer's markets as you drive through the vineyards. Enjoy.
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