unsigned, undated

pencil top of page Ornament - Elaborate in the extreme, walls being/lined with costly marbles with the veining carefully/arranged, so as to form patterns, the vaults of the upper/part of walls with glass mosaic having symbolic/figures, groups of saints & representations of the/peacock (the emblem of immortal life.) - Gold/backgrounds - unity of surface always maintained/Greek rather than Roman technique was followed in/the carving. Carving was mainly executed in low/relief, the effect frequently obtained by sinking portions/of the surfaces. A special character of the carving was/due to the use of the drill instead of the chisel./Pattern is incised instead of seeming to be applied/for the surface always remained flat the pattern/being cut into it without breaking its outline. l.r Byzantine/Cap.