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!
For more about the natural and cultural history of the zebra:
