Untitled

212
Table 13). At Korazim a large number of defaced
animals and human images on reliefs and sculpture
are found (Yeivin 2000: 14*-18*, figs. 77,
81, 103-106, 125, 126, 130, 137; pls. 6,1-3; 14,5;
15,3-7; 25, 1-3; 26,1: May 2000: 51*-54*). In
most of these examples the images were carefully
removed. It is not clear when the damage was
done since many of these architectural fragments
were discovered on the floor inside and outside
the synagogue building, while others were found
in second use.
In fact, very few synagogue mosaics suffered
iconoclastic damage; each is an isolated case.
Na#aran, with its painstaking disfigurement and
lack of repairs seems to suggest that the local
Jewish community probably carried out the
iconoclasm damage probably at a later phase,
which did not allow further use of the mosaic.
By contrast, the original animated mosaic at the
Susiya synagogue was covered over and replaced
by geometric designs into which small sections
of the original pavement were integrated. The
local Jewish community undoubtedly executed
this change.
More iconoclastic damage is detected on figurative
reliefs and sculpture from Galilean synagogues,
and on chancel screens from various sites.
This might indicate that Jews were less concerned
about the animated mosaic pavements that were
trodden on, and were more apprehensive about
the architectural decorated elements, which were
literally looked up to.
B. Iconoclasm in Churches
Iconoclastic damage was more extensive on
church mosaic pavements confined to some specific
areas in Palaestina and Arabia:
At the #Asida church many of the images on
the nave mosaic pavement were replaced by various
plants and flowers, probably with the same
tesserae. Especially notable are the lion and flamingos,
of which some undamaged parts have
survived (figs. VI-3, X-2) (Baramki and Avi-
Yonah 1934: 19, pls. X, XI 1,2).
The mosaic carpets in the northern and southern
aisles of Mahat el Urdi church had a geometric
design of octagonal panels alternating with
squares filled with human and animal figures and
objects (figs. IV.24, X-3). Most of the figures suffered
damage, which was not repaired (Bagatti
1972; Baramki 1972).
chapter ten
The central carpet of the church at Beth Loya
(Patrich and Tsafrir 1993) is decorated with an
inhabited vine scroll design bordered by an inhabited
acanthus scroll (pl. VI.4). The aisles have a
geometric design of alternating circles and squares
inhabited by animal and human figures. These
figures, and those in the large medallions on the
southern aisle, were damaged by iconoclastic
activity. However, the axial column contained
objects such as a double basket, bowls full of water
or fruit, and an amphora: these were not damaged
(pls. VI.15d, 17e).
The mosaic field on the nave of the ‘Ein Hanniya
church (Baramki 1934) was also decorated
with an inhabited vine scroll design containing
objects, animals and birds. These too were disfigured
at the time of the iconoclastic movement.
At Herodium eastern church, the nave is decorated
with an inhabited vine scroll, of which only
three rows of three columns have survived (Netzer
et al. 1993: 225). The first row has an acanthus
leaf in the central medallion originally flanked by
a peacock, then possibly destroyed by iconoclasts
and repaired as a leaf.
The mosaic pavements in the aisles of the
church at Kursi (Tzaferis 1972: 176-177) show
a diagonally arranged design of large and small
interlacing squares; the large squares contain
leaves, fruits, flowers, animals, and birds (pl. X.1c).
Almost all the animated images were disfigured
during the iconoclastic crisis and seem not to have
been repaired.
The Jabaliyah church has several mosaic pavements
(Humbert 1999: 216-217; 2000: 122-125);
many of the human and animal figures on the
Diakonikon mosaic there, dated to the mid-5th
century, suffered at the hands of the iconoclasts,
though some other parts, even human faces,
were not damaged (pl. VII.10). The disfigured
ones were carelessly repaired with tesserae, without
regard for the original figures. The northern
building was a Baptistry and its mosaic suffered
damage, perhaps not by iconoclasts (fig. VIII.1).
The church central nave was laid at the beginning
of the 8th century). The pavement of inhabited
vine scrolls shows damaged representations
of birds, wild game, and rustic scenes; the north
aisle was paved with a geometric design including
eight squares containing damaged pairs of animals
facing each other (pl. X.4) (Humbert 1999: 216;
2000: 121, 126). The artist’s creation is of excellent
quality and beautifully drawn, which attests
that the Gaza Christian community was still in