Compared to other well-known African ungulates like giraffes, hippos, and rhinos, zebras are rather rare in ancient mosaics. I have only been able to locate five examples, all Byzantine from the 5th-6th centuries, collected below.
Okay, so that one is the iffiest of the bunch, but I do think it was an attempt at a zebra LOL…these last ones below, however, probably weren’t:
Although sometimes labeled as zebras online, those squiggly stripes are more likely just an iconographic device to indicate fur texture, and the animals are probably sheep – perhaps an ancient breed of Fat-tailed Sheep? (See this conversation I had on Twitter for more on the Fat-tailed Sheep theory, and thanks to Markus Bühler from Bestiarium for the suggestion!)
Anyway, if anyone knows of any other examples please do share, thanks!
