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chapter eleven
Figure XI-1. A similar geometric design on the pavements of: a. Horvat Brachot church; b. Na#aran synagogue.
appears on the upper panel of the Jericho synagogue
nave mosaic; this carpet includes emblems
of two groups of Jewish symbols (Hachlili 1988:
355, fig. XI-13, pl. 63).
Another scheme of a geometric carpet design
with an emblem as the central focus in the composition
occurs on synagogue and church mosaic
pavements. The emblem on the synagogue
pavements at Jericho consists of Jewish symbols
(pl. II.2c), and that at ‘En-Gedi of a geometric
design with birds (pl. IX.4b). On the floors of the
north and south aisles of the Shavei Zion church
the emblem consists of a cross and pomegranates
within a circle (Avi-Yonah 1967: 49, 53,
pls. XXVIII-XXIX, XIb). A beautiful example
of the emblem design is the nave pavement of
the Apostles church at Madaba (Piccirillo 1993:
106, figs. 76, 80, 81,95). It has a geometric grid
scheme consisting of pairs of birds and various
plants with a central medallion containing the
personification of the Sea.
Symbols
The significant symbols depicted on synagogue
and church floors are the menorah and the cross,
the identifying symbols of Judaism and Christianity.
Most of the synagogue pavements have depictions
of some Jewish symbolic elements, frequently
the menorah, in a prominent place.
Torah Shrine, Menoroth, and Ritual Objects Panel
The Torah shrine or the Ark of the Scrolls, flanked
by a pair of menoroth and ritual objects, is a