Each year the Postal Union for the Mediterranean (PUMed), organises a joint stamp project under a common Mediterranean theme.
The theme for 2026 is "Traditional Mosaics in the Mediterranean". Among the most enduring artistic achievements of Mediterranean civilisation, mosaics have adorned palaces, villas and churches for over two millennia. Created by arranging thousands of small pieces of coloured stone, marble, glass or ceramic-known as tesserae-they combine exceptional craftsmanship with remarkable artistic expression. To mark this theme, MaltaPost is issuing two miniature sheets featuring outstanding examples of mosaic art from two distinct periods of Maltese history - the Roman and the Byzantine traditions.
The 2.00 miniature sheet features the celebrated Roman floor mosaic at the Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta. This archaeological site preserves the remains of an elegant Roman town house (domus) built during the 1st century BC, when Malta formed part of the Roman Empire. The magnificent peristyle floor mosaic features a remarkable intricate geometric border which creates a striking illusion of depth. Through the careful arrangement of geometric patterns, Roman craftsmen achieved a three-dimensional "trompe-l'oeil" effect, making the floor appear to rise and fall in a series of interlocking blocks. At its centre is a beautifully detailed panel depicting two birds perched on the rim of a bowl, known as the "Drinking Doves" motif.
(Stamp photograph by Daniel Cilia)
The 3.00 miniature sheet reproduces a magnificent image of the mosaic depicting Christ Pantocrator (Christ, Ruler of All), found in the Chapel of Adoration, within the 17th century Basilica of St. George Martyr in Victoria, Gozo. Mosaics in the Neo- Byzantine style adorn the chapel throughout and this iconic representation of Jesus Christ has been a defining feature of Byzantine church decoration for centuries.
(Stamp photograph by Sebio Aquilina).
