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pavements during the 6th century, when carpets
with inhabited scrolls also become common. Synagogue
pavements turn to an aniconic style in
the mid-6th century. This style results from the
trend away from the depiction of human figures;
at the same time the zodiac figurative depiction
is replaced by an inscribed panel. Mythological
and pagan themes are absent on church and synagogue
pavements, except for some specific subjects
such as Orpheus. Biblical scenes are avoided
on church pavements in view of the danger of
their being trodden upon. Symbolic motifs and
religious elements are rarely depicted on church
floors for the same reason.
Iconoclasm affected many church pavements,
and a few in synagogues. Some floors were greatly
damaged and crudely repaired, others were intentionally
disfigured and than replaced by geometric
and floral carpets. From the mid-6th century
onwards, synagogue pavements comprise mostly
geometric and floral carpets, sometimes with an
emblem decorating a part of the carpet. Church
pavements continue to depict animated scenes
until the 8th century, even though many suffered
in the iconoclasm crisis.
In conclusion, synagogue pavement decoration
seems to have shifted from carpets with figurative
representations to aniconic geometric and floral
patterned carpets which integrated symbolic elements.
Early churches are decorated solely with
geometric carpets, and no figurative art appears.
Floral and faunal subjects begin to appear only in
the mid-5th century at Tabgha and the Church
of the Nativity in Bethlehem (Avi-Yonah 1960:
34-35). In the latter part of the 6th century Jewish
art tended to represent aniconic subjects. Church
art in the 6th-8th centuries continued to ornament
pavements with elaborate figurative art, as exemplified
in churches in the vicinity of Beth-She"an
and in many of the churches in the Madaba,
Gerasa, and Umm al-Rasas regions.
In Christian art, representations of symbols on
pavements was forbidden by imperial decree in
427 (Theodosian Code, I tit.VIII). The decree
generated the development of a tendency to
hidden Christian symbols. At the same time,
church pavements begin to employ figurative
ornamentation consisting mostly of personifications
of the natural world, genre subjects such as
vintage, village life, and hunting scenes, which are
considered inoffensive (Vitto 1995: 283-300; Dunbabin
1999: 196; Talgam 2000: 93). Even though
figurative designs are now employed, the negative
chapter eleven
attitude to depictions of symbolic subjects persists.
Portraits of donors and benefactors are rendered
only on church mosaics. Although village life and
the Labours of the Months may seem realistic
depictions, they probably maintain the symbolic
meaning of earthly paradise, a common notion
in this period.
One of the causes of this separate and opposite
development may have been the intention of
the Jews to distinguish their art and architecture
from those of Christianity; they did this through
emphatic affirmation of Jewish spiritual values,
which they symbolically expressed in the specific
ornamentation of their synagogues.
It remains difficult to determine the actual
reason for the patrons’ and donors’ choice of
subjects. The designs might have been chosen
from the assumed pattern books available. As the
Christians hesitated to tread on sacred images,
their iconographical and symbolic images probably
decorated wall mosaics, which did not survive.
Kitzinger (1965: 12-13) asserts that the Jews
were ahead of the Christians in the development
of specific subject matter for their synagogue
mosaic pavements, such as the ritual objects and
the zodiac. Symbolic motifs, such as the menorah
representing Judaism and the cross representing
Christianity, are more abundantly depicted on
architectural fragments such as lintels, capitals
and chancel screens in synagogues and churches
than on pavements. Domestic, wild, and exotic
animals, involved in chase, combat, or hunting,
as well as birds and objects, are depicted on synagogue
and church pavements alike, usually filling
geometric or organic compositions.
From the similarity and diversity of synagogues
and churches, close contacts were evidently maintained
despite the differences. Divergence in
architecture was due to the separate development
of each faith’s liturgy and worship, resulting in
dissimilar emphasis on parts of the building. The
proximity of the Jewish and Christian communities
is illustrated by the resemblance of iconographic
themes and motifs, which at times even
carry the same significance. Contact and mutual
influence between the art of Jews and Christians
appear to have been considerable. This may have
been because of a shared tradition and common
themes, but also because of the common employment
of artists who designed and worked for both
synagogues and churches, and often used the
same motifs in both.