The art of mosaics flourished in Syria during the Umayyad period, and the mosaic murals in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus are still considered masterpieces of this art.

Mosaics are a type of painting or drawing based on covering colored areas with small cubic pieces no larger than one square centimeter. They are used to decorate and embellish floors and walls. 

The word mosaic is an Arabic word that originates from the Greek word psephos, meaning small stone.