Water shimmers and wings glint thanks to the vibrant blue and iridescent green glass embedded in this floor mosaic. The use of these reflective, colored tesserae makes the natural world inhabited by winged gods, known as the Erotes, seem lush and idyllic. In contrast, the peddler— the man capturing and caging these frolicking Erotes—is depicted in duller, more muted limestone. Stone, the most common element in these mosaics, was quarried locally, perhaps no more than a few miles from the city. Making glass, however, required mineral compounds shipped from as far away as Egypt.