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chapter twelve
Figure XII-5. Plan of the Monastery of Lady Mary, Beth She"an.
right to left, with many exceptions, especially the
northern column. Some of the birds are depicted
in confronting pairs, as in the seventh row. In
some of the rows the same species are rendered
close together, and some birds in rows 4-5 are
even depicted upside-down. Two additional large
medallions near the west door contain confronting
peacocks.
5. The floor of room L is decorated with
the inhabited scroll design consisting of vinebranches
issuing from an amphora forming
twelve medallions arranged in three rows of four
(fig. VI-10). Each medallion contains a figure in
hunting, vintage, or everyday life scenes. Leaves,
grapes, and tendrils decorate the medallions.
Among the medallions are animals and birds.
I should like to propose that these five mosaic
pavements were executed by the same artist/s (or
workshop); this proposition is based on stylistic
similarities, evinced by a comparison of the following
constituents of composition of the mosaics
of the small synagogue in the House of Leontis
and room L of the monastery.
The inhabited scroll designs on the two pavements
show some similarities in general outline
and composition:
i. The amphorae on the two are identical
(pl. VI.g,h).
ii. The vine branches, grape clusters and
leaves of the designs are similar (pl.
XII.5a,b).
iii. The areas between the medallions of the