Opus sectile

Early examples have been found from Egypt and Asia Minor.

The Herodian Temple in Jerusalem was built during the second half of the 1st century BCE and the first half of the 1st century CE. Recent work by the Temple Mount Sifting Project has recovered enough pieces of floor tile from the Herodian Temple Mount to reconstruct geometric patterns of opus sectile flooring.[1]

Two-horse chariot bearing the presiding magistrate at a pompa circensis ("circus parade"), from the Basilica of Junius Bassus[2]

The most prominent artifacts remain from 4th-century Rome. A large set from the Basilica of Junius Bassus survived, depicting an elaborate chariot and other images. The popularity of opus sectile decoration continued in Rome through the 6th century, and affected areas as far as Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey). Particularly remarkable are a series of fourth-century CE panels in glass opus sectile, found in a possible sanctuary of Isis at the eastern Corinthian port of Kenchreai, in excavations carried out in the 1960s; they include scenes of famous authors like Homer and Plato, scenes of Nilotic landscapes, harbour-front cities and geometric panels.

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  Marble floor inlay, Hadrian's Villa (early 2nd century)
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  Vegetal pattern. Roman artwork, 2nd century CE, possibly from the villa of Lucius Verus in Acquatraversa. On exhibit at the Palazzo Massimi alle Terme
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  Ancient Roman star-shaped opus sectile inset within a tessellated (i.e. mosaic) pavement (Archaeological Museum, Aquileia)
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  Basilica of Junius Bassus

Although the technique died in Rome with the decline of the Empire, it continued to be used prominently in Byzantine churches, primarily in floor designs.

Cosmatesque pavement, Ca' d'Oro, Venice

From Byzantium it was eventually brought back to Sicily and the Italian mainland, in the 12th century as the Cosmatesque style, concentrating on geometric patterns.

There was a major revival from the Italian Renaissance (14th–17th century) in the form of pietra dura work, although this normally consists of much smaller compositions and it is used on furniture, mainly.

Architectural work from later periods tends to be called intarsia.

In England, the technique was revived in the late 19th century by artists working in the Arts and Crafts movement. Charles Hardgrave, whose designs were executed by James Powell & Sons at the Whitefriars Glass Works, was a noted designer in this technique.