Untitled

frequent ornamentation of the synagogue mosaic
panel, usually in front of the Torah shrine. On
several synagogue mosaic floors the panel shows
in symmetrical composition a pair of menoroth,
one on either side of the Torah shrine, or the Ark
of the Scrolls each flanked by all four ritual objects
or only two or three. Such a panel with a pair of
menoroth is rendered on the mosaic pavements
of Hammath Tiberias, Sepphoris, and Susiya; at
Beth "Alpha and Na#aran the Ark of the Scrolls is
depicted (figs. II-10, 11); the Torah shrine covered
by a veil flanked by menoroth with no Ark of the
Scrolls is depicted in a panel at Beth She"an, and
a stylized Ark appears on the pavement of the
Jericho synagogue (pl. II.2). At Susiya the panel
was flanked originally by a pair of rams, but only
one survived the disfiguring (pls. II.1, X.2a). The
Na#aran panel shows two lamps hanging from a
pair of menoroth instead of the usual ritual objects
(figs II-11b); at Huseifa the pair of menoroth flank
an inscription (pl. IX-4a).
This representation on synagogue mosaic pavements
of the Torah shrine and ark symbolizes its
importance as the container of the Torah, and
probably shows its actual position in synagogue
architecture, namely in an aedicula, a niche, or an
apse (Hachlili 1976: 47-49; 2000: 154; 2001: 59;
Weiss 2005: 65-77). The similarity in the composition
of these panels, which is depicted uniformly
and is found in various sites separated by distance
and time, indicates the use of a common pattern
(Hachlili 1988: 391-394).
Samaritan synagogue mosaics also depict a
sanctuary façade and the Temple ritual vessels
with some similar elements to the Jewish depictions
(pl. II.3). At the Samaritan synagogue at
Khirbet Samara (fig. II-15) , the mosaic floor
shows a façade of the ark with the door covered
by a curtain tied to one of the columns (Magen
1993b: 63, figs. 4,5). The mosaic floor of the
el-Hirbeh Samaritan synagogue (Magen 1992:
71-72) consists of a temple structure on the left,
in the centre is the Shewbread table , on which
lie various objects—bowls , goblets, and loaves of
bread. On the right appears a seven-branched
menorah flanked by two trumpets , a shofar , and
remains of a lulav and an ethrog (fig. II-16) . The
sanctuary portrayed on the mosaics of the Samaritan
synagogue floors (as well as the Dura Europos
synagogue wall paintings (fig. II-17 ; Hachlili
1998: 360-363) can be interpreted as describing
the Temple and its vessels . However, Magen
between synagogue and church 223
(1992: 72) suggests that this is a rendition of the
Tabernacle vessels.
Symbolic motifs and religious elements are
rarely depicted on church floors. Examples of a
shrine interpreted as the stylized representation of
the Jerusalem Temple are found on chapel mosaic
floors in Jordan (pl. II.4). The upper chapel of
Priest John at Khirbat al-Mukhayyat on Mt. Nebo
(Piccirillo 1986: 85-86; 1993: 174, fig. 228; 1998:
351, fig. 210) shows in a panel a four-columned
shrine, flanked by two candlesticks, inside the columns
is an inscription. Two roosters perch on
the gable corners and two peacocks flanking the
shrine (pl. II.4a). Another example of a sanctuary
appears on a panel in front of the apse on the
mosaic of the Theotokos chapel, a lateral chapel
inside the Basilica of Moses on Mt. Nebo (Piccirillo
1986: 80-81; 1993: 151, fig. 200; 1998:
300, 302). The panel is rendered with a stylized
shrine within are represented an altar, an offering
table and a flame, flanked by two disfigured bulls
and two gazelles; only one gazelle survived the
iconoclastic damage (pl. II.4b). On the upper part
appears a Greek citation of Psalms 51: 21: ‘Then
they shall lay calves upon Thy altar’. Accordingly,
the scene is interpreted as the biblical sacrifice
offered in the Temple in Jerusalem. The presbytery
mosaic of the Theotokos chapel in #Ayn
al-Kanish (Piccirillo 1998: 359, fig. 228) shows a
structure of two columns carrying an arcuated
lintel and a curtain. Sheep (disfigured) in front of
small trees flank the structure, which is somewhat
similar to the structures on the panel of the Beth
She"an A synagogue, and the Susiya Torah shrine
panel (pls. II.1c, II.2b).
The depictions of the Torah shrine on synagogue
mosaics show several affinities with the
Christian examples. The sanctuary on the mosaic
panel at the upper chapel of Priest John is comparable
to the Torah shrine on the Susiya synagogue
mosaic panel. 1 The motif of the structure,
four columns supporting gable decorated with the
conch, is quite similar in the mosaics of the upper
chapel panel of Priest John and in the Susiya
synagogue. The pair of candelabra in the upper
chapel of Priest John can be compared to the pair
of menoroth flanking the Torah shrine in the synagogue
panel mosaic; the roosters perched on the
1 Foerster (1990: 546-547) believes that both these depictions
represent a temple façade.