Untitled

the zodiac panel and its significance 43
Figure III-8. Illustrated table of three zodiac signs—Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius—on the mosaic pavements at
Hammath Tiberias, Sepphoris, Huseifa, Beth "Alpha, and Na#aran.
also to be found on Roman ceilings, such as the
Palmyra ceiling (fig. III-11), in mosaic floors,
as at Tivoli (Lehman 1945: fig. 10), and also in
manuscript 1291 (pl. III.12b). In some cases the
figure is winged, as in the Bir-Chana mosaic floor
(fig. III-13). At times he wears a cape, as in the
Athens relief (Webster 1938: pl. 1) and Calendar
354 (Stern 1953: pl. 12: 2, p. 198). The depiction
of Sagittarius as a centaur continues into the
Middle Ages in the zodiacs of various manuscripts
and in other art forms (Webster 1938: pls. 12: 26
and 13: 27).
Capricorn (Goat, Gedi) (pl. III.10a; fig III-9;). Capricorn
is depicted as a horned goat with a fish’s
tail, on the Hammath Tiberias mosaic, which
is the common pagan form in Roman art, such
as the ceiling at Dendera (Lehman 1945: fig. 7)
and the relief from Hagios Eleutherios (Webster
1938: 117-119, pl. 1). Other examples are found
in Calendar 354 (Hachlili 1977: fig. 14) and the
Bir-Chana mosaic floor (fig. III-13) (Gundel 1992:
33,47,53,54, 73). At Sepphoris a kneeling youth,
holding a kid’s hindquarters has survived, while
only the raised horns of Capricorn remain in the
Huseifa mosaic. At Beth "Alpha, where the sign
is partially destroyed, a kid is depicted.
Aquarius (Water-bearer, Deli) (pl. III.10b, fig. III-9).
The sign is depicted differently in each of the
zodiac mosaics. At Hammath Tiberias a naked
figure pours water from an amphora, following
most of the common depictions of Aquarius in
Roman art, such as those of Palmyra (fig. III-11),
Calendar 354 (Stern 1953: 199, pl. 37: 3, 5-7), and
Manuscript 1291 (pl. III.12b), where Aquarius
is represented as a Phrygian figure. The latter
representation of Aquarius extends into manuscripts
of the Middle Ages (Webster 1938: pls.
12: 26 and 13: 27). At Sepphoris only flowing
water at the lower edge has survived. The Huseifa
Aquarius—better preserved than the other
signs—is represented by a large amphora with
water pouring out of it. Very few examples of this
representation of Aquarius exist. The Beth "Alpha
sign is unique in that Aquarius is shown as a figure