The Tale of the Scale and the Skull

This curious stone mosaic tucked into the terrace of Berlin’s new Archaeology Center on Museum Island transforms archaeological finds and local legends into a walkable work of art.
And, beneath your feet, history unfolds.
Yes, literally.

Although the vast mosaic, at first glance, might appear just decorative, this 6-by-6 meter or, if you prefer, 20-by-20 foot, natural stone floor tells a much deeper story: Berlin’s ancient past, reimagined in stone.
The piece of art, called The Tale of the Scale and the Skull, pays homage to two very different figures unearthed in the same patch of city earth: a medieval skeleton—the so-called “first Berliner,” discovered at nearby Petriplatz and dated to the 12th century, and the towering, long-lost statue of Berolina, a 19th-century female figure once symbolizing the city and its fortification. One of the best-known portraits of Berolina is the statue that once stood in Alexanderplatz.
Between these two icons, the artist weaves an imaginative excavation scene, with pickaxes, measuring scales, and other tools of the dig immortalized in stone, arranged with a careful choreography that blurs the line between artifact and fiction.

The mosaic sits outdoors, and It’s a public artwork funded through Berlin’s Percent-for-Art initiative (Kunst am Bau) and represents a rare blend of archaeological tribute, artistic narrative, and urban memory, realized by artist Alona Rodeh and installed in 2024.
Whether you’re a history enthusiast, an art lover, or just a curious wanderer, don’t forget to look down the next time you’re near Berlin’s Museum Island, as there is a story just underfoot!