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glossary 293
GLOSSARY
Aedicula Stone structure housing the Ark.
Aniconic art The absence of representations of humans and animals in art.
Apse Semi-circular recess in a synagogue or church building.
Ark of the Scrolls Chest housing the Torah scrolls.
Dado Finish to the lower part of the walls of a room made to imitate a pedestal or other
architectural feature such as tiling.
Chiaroscuro
Emblema
Ethrog
Dark line with dentils on a light background
A panel prepared separately and integrated into the mosaic, sometimes in the centre.
Citron fruit, a ritual object.
Frontality Form of artistic presentation in which human fi gures in a composition are oriented
toward the observer and not related to each other.
Halakha Accepted decisions in rabbinical law.
Horror vacui
Ornament fi lling all available space.
Isocephaly
Principle observed in ancient art, of representing the heads of all the fi gures at nearly
the same level.
Lulav Palm branch, a ritual object.
Menorah Seven-armed candelabrum.
Midrash Rabbinical biblical commentaries using a scriptural interpretation method.
Miqveh Ritual bath.
Mishna (M) Collection of binding precepts which forms the basis of the Talmud and embodies
the contents of the oral law. Compiled by Rabbi Judah Hanasi, probably at Sepphoris,
c. 200 CE.
Nilometer
Oceus
Opus Sectile
A structure built to measure the height of the Nile’s fl ood.
Main reception room in Hellenistic and Roman houses.
Floors made of coloured stone tiles forming geometric designs.
Quadriga A chariot drawn by four horses
Shewbread table One of the three ritual objects placed in the Temple sanctuary.
Shofar Ram’s horn, a ritual object.
Talmud (T) Body of Jewish traditional law consisting of the Mishna and the Gemara. Two editions
exist, the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud.
Targum Aramaic translation and paraphrasing of portions of the bible, committed to writing
from about 100 CE onwards.
Tessera A cubic stone or glass creating the mosaic base
Torah shrine An architectural structure either an aedicula, niche or apse, containing the Ark of the
Scrolls.