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concluding remarks, comments, and observations 283
Mt. Nebo. Some scenes evoke the compositions
and episodes on the mosaic floor of the Byzantine
Imperial Palace in Constantinople (Trilling
1989: 41-44).
A composition characteristic of some synagogue
nave pavements (figs. II-1-8) is seen at
Beth ’Alpha, Beth She"an A, Hammath-Tiberias,
Hammath-Gader, Na#aran, and Susiya (Hachlili
1988: 347-354, Scheme A). The design show three
rectangular panels: one, usually in front of the
Torah shrine, depicts Jewish symbols (Hachlili
1976: 47-49; 2000: 154; 2001: 59); the central
panel has the zodiac design. The third panel at
Beth ‘Alpha, and the sixth band at Sepphoris,
contain the biblical scene of the Binding of Isaac;
Na#aran and Susiya render the biblical scene of
Daniel in the Lions’ Den.
This design highlights the importance of the
programme-scheme of the panels and their content,
the significance of each panel, and the
impact of the whole pavement. Characteristic of
the synagogue pavements are a recurring programme,
a fixed composition, a stylistic fashion,
and consistent icononography, while church floors
are noted for more variety in their designs and
subject matter.
B. Interpretation and Implications
Some synagogue pavements delivered more than
the evident ornamentation of the structure (see
the questions raised by Dunbabin 1999a: 744).
Particular significant here are the synagogue
mosaics of Beth ‘Alpha, Beth She"an A, Hammath-Tiberias,
Hammath-Gader, Na#aran, and
Susiya (Hachlili 1988: 347-354, Scheme A). The
scheme, form, and content are identical in all,
despite their different dates and locations. The
recurring visual images and subject matter influenced
the reading of the mosaics and augmented
the roles which the decoration of the floor could
perform. The inherent implications of the floor
panels were most likely plain to the community
members: the Jewish symbols commemorated the
Jerusalem Temple; the Zodiac as the calendar
was the frame of the annual rites now enacted
by the community. The biblical scenes referred
to traditional literature, and the visual images intimated
God’s intervention, the rescue, and the
hope of salvation.
Rural life on church pavements indicated a
connection with contemporary life. These mosaics
were presumably intended to convey various messages
to community members looking at the pavements.
The scenes could have represented the
exalted pursuits of the patrons, or victory in battles;
they might have illustrated the various inhabitants
of land and sea, or embodied the symbol of
human life. Some designs or motifs might have
incorporated a deeper level of connotations, perhaps
of symbolic aspects.
In images containing citations from Isaiah
and Psalms alluding to the End of Days, seen in
churches and in the Beth Midrash at the Meroth
synagogue, the appropriate biblical reference is
purposely located above each particular illustrated
animal pair, hence is directly addressed
the viewers.
Inscriptions rendered on large areas of the
pavements had further importance. They were
evidently intended to be read, and they expanded
the role of the floor decoration. Such an example
is the long Halakhic text depicted on the Rehov
synagogue mosaic, recording the tithes and seventh-year
produce in many districts in the Holy
Land. It was apparently copied from a literary text
and had various purposes, among them conveying
the actual knowledge and memory of traditions
and practices. Another example is the inscription
on the ‘En Gedi synagogue pavement with the
names of earliest people in the world, a list of the
twelve zodiac signs and the twelve months of the
year, the names of the three biblical forefathers,
and most significantly a curse and a list of four
offences for which the town’s community would
be held accountable. It was expressly meant to
be read by the synagogue population, and abided
by (figs. XI-4,5). Some Christian churches also
used the floor as a medium for the written word
(Donceel Voûte 1988: 465-475; Dunbabin 1999a:
743-744).
The patron/donor played a part in commissioning
the work and in approving the content
and the inscriptions, they had a significant role
in the choice of the ornamentation (Dunbabin
1999a: 741-742). Evidence of this assumption lies
in the location of the donors’ dedicatory inscriptions.
At the Sepphoris synagogue they are at
the top of each nave panel (fig. II-2); more especially,
one inscription is in the circular frame of
the zodiac panel (pl. III-2). This is unusual, and,
moreover, it was evidently an integral part of the
mosaic. The Church of Apostles at Madaba likewise
has an unusually located dedicatory inscription,
which contains the name of the mosaicist