The way of Saint James

 4th ESO Students, IES La Serna

 Creating a Roman Mosaic of the Camino de Santiago

Introduction: An artistic pilgrimage through a Roman mosaic

Hello, fellow travellers and art lovers! We are a group of 4th ESO students from IES La Serna. In our Latín  and Religion class, we decided to combine the ancient Roman technique of mosaic-making with the modern spirit of the Camino de Santiago.

The result? A huge, colourful panel that shows the routes pilgrims take from different European countries, all leading to the Cathedral of Santiago.

But before we show you our finished masterpiece, let us take you through the process, step by step.

Step 1: Getting the "Canvas" – The Wooden Board.

 

Every journey begins with a first step, and our mosaic began with a solid base. We acquired a large wooden board measuring 220cm x 120cm. It was like a blank map waiting to be filled. We sanded the edges and applied a primer to make sure the adhesive would stick properly.

 

Step 2: The Design – Flags, Arrows, and the Cathedral.

Once we had the board, we sketched the entire composition by hand. This was the most exciting part of the planning. Our design includes:

 At the center, the magnificent Santiago Cathedral, with the Spanish flag waving next to it. Around, twelve stars representing the European Union.

 In the corners, the flags of the countries participating in the Project, and the   arrows, referring to the famous yellow Camino arrows, pointing from each of those countries directly towards the Cathedral.

The message is clear: no matter where you start in Europe, the Camino brings you together in Santiago.

Step 3: Choosing the Tesseras – Shapes and Colours.

 

In ancient Rome, tessellarii were the people who cut the tiny pieces for mosaics were called . We became tessellarii for a day! Then we had to choose the right  small pieces:   vitrea material,  glass, or ceramic.

Later, we selected pieces for the backgrounds, the front of the Cathedral,

 for the 12 EU stars, and

 for the flags of Spain, Romania, France, Germany, and Italy.

We learned that the shape matters too. Most of our pieces were small squares, but we used some rectangles for the arrows to make them look dynamic.

Step 4: The Work of the Tesserarii – Placing the Tesseras.

Now for the hardest but most rewarding part: gluing each tiny piece on to the wood. We worked in teams. One person spread the adhesive, while others carefully placed the tesserae following the design.

It was slow work. We had to be patient and precise. If a tessera was out of line, the arrow would look crooked! Little by little, the flags appeared, the stars shone, and the Cathedral took shape in the centre.

The Final Result: A Roman Way  to Santiago.

After many hours of work, our Roman mosaic is finally complete. It is a symbol of unity, history,  the shared European spirit of the Camino de Santiago. We are proud to hang it in the hall of IES La Serna for everyone to see.

 The Camino is not just a walk. It is a mosaic of cultures, colours, and people – and we are all participants in that beautiful picture.

 

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