Royal Ontario Museum Rotunda

The intricate designs in the mosaic ceiling of the ROM are probably overlooked by most visitors.
I happened to be on an "Insider's Tour" one afternoon, when the guide stopped to point out the various symbols that adorn the museum's rotunda.

The writing says "That All Men Shall Know His Work".
The rotunda was designed by the ROM architects as part of the 1932 addition to the main building.
Italian craftsmen from Connolly Marble and Tile, worked for eight months to assemble and install the tiles from more than 4,000 12inch by 18 inch Venetian glass.

It was meant to reflect the breadth of the collections contained within.
Above the arches, and in the four corners of the base, are representations of four different styles of architecture:

• Mesopotamian ziggurat
• Egyptian pylon or gateway
• Classic Greek temple
• Mayan temple

 

Between the arches, are four panels; each containing symbols of the early culture.
Some examples are:

• A bison - reminding us of the early cave drawings
•  The winged Lion of St Mark (from Venice)
• The Sacred White Elephant, from India
• The Egyptian Falcon, grasping the symbol for the fullness of Life.

 In total, the symbolism of the dome's pictures suggests a unity of spirit for all work through the ages.