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46 chapter three Figure III-10. Illustrated table of the seasons on the mosaic pavements at Hammath Tiberias, Sepphoris, Huseifa, Beth "Alpha and Na#aran. Tiberias and Sepphoris also symbolizes Spring on the 4th-century Daphne (Antioch) mosaic floor (Hanfmann 1951: II, 64, n. 23), on the 5th-century mosaic floor at El Maqerqesh, Beth Guvrin, (pl. VIII.2b) (II period; Avi-Yonah 1933: 146, no. 23, pl. 2), on mosaic II of the 6th-century Petra church (pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski 2001: 251-252), and on the mosaic floor of the 6th-century church at Qabr Hiram (fig. VIII-9). The Hammath Tiberias spring is similar in jewellery, wreath and dress to the winged Spring with a basket and roses rendered on a 5th-century dining hall pavement at Caesarea (Holum et al. 1988: 171, fig. 122; Spiro 1992: 250, 254, 257, figs. 12,13) and the head crowned with a wreath of flowers is similar to spring head on mosaic II of the Petra Church (pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski 2001: 251). The shepherd’s crook, which is the Spring attribute at Beth "Alpha and Na#aran, appears on the 3rd-century mosaic floor at Ostia (Hanfmann 1951: II, 114, n. 151), on the 3rd-century mosaic floor at Zliten, North Africa, and on the mosaic floor of the 5thcentury Deir es-Sleib church (figs. VIII-7,8) (Hanfmann 1951: II, 121, n. 192; Donceel-Voûte 1988: fig. 35). Summer (Tammuz) (pl. III.11; fig. III-10). The representation of Summer in the mosaic of Hammath Tiberias is a jewelled female bust crowned with olive branches, holding a sickle in her right hand; a sheaf of corn is at her left. The upright finger of her right hand has a parallel rendition in the personification of Ge on the El Maqerqesh mosaic at Beth Guvrin (pl. VIII.2b). The Sepphoris figure wears a cap over her wavy hair, and she is dressed in a tunic which leaves her right breast bare; a sheaf of corn and some fruits are on the right, a sickle and another tool on the left, similar to Sepphoris. The almost complete figure of Summer on the church mosaic from Petra (B8) has comparable features: her right breast is bare, she wears a similar hat, and she holds the same objects, a sickle and a sheaf of wheat (pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski 2001: 255-256,319). The Beth "Alpha figure is a jewelled female bust, with fruits and field produce before and beside her. The Na#aran figure is completely destroyed. The Hammath Tiberias and Sepphoris Summers are illustrated with the same objects while the Beth "Alpha figure displays different attributes.
The Summer attributes, the sickle and sheaf of wheat, at Hammath Tiberias and Sepphoris are comparable to those on the mosaic at El Maqerqesh, Beth Guvrin (pl. VIII.2b) (Vincent 1922: pl. 10: 1) and at Daphne (Hanfmann 1951, II: 100). By contrast, the Summer attribute at Beth "Alpha is fruit. Summer (B14) on mosaic II at the Petra church is the bust of woman exposing the right breast and shoulder, holding a sickle in her right hand, a bunch of twigs, and sheaf of wheat. There is an identifying inscription in Greek (pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski 2001: 255-6, 320). Autumn (Tishri) (pl. III.11; fig. III-10). The Hammath Tiberias mosaic portrays a jewelled figure holding a cluster of grapes and crowned with pomegranates and an olive branch. The figure at Sepphoris is similar to Nisan in her dress and wavy hair gathered with a clip, and an earring on her left ear; two pomegranates, a fig, and a round fruit are beside the figure on the right, only a vine branch has survived on the left. The representation of Autumn at Huseifa is the only season left. She wears a necklace and a crown and is accompanied by pomegranates, ears of corn, and a sickle (perhaps a shofar) or palm leaf on the left and a long object on the right. Avi- Yonah (1934: 126) suggested that this ‘was meant for a shade(?) or wings(?)’, and Weiss (2005: 137) supposes it is a plowshare similar to the one depicted beside Winter at Sepphoris. At Beth "Alpha the bust is jewelled and crowned, surrounded by pomegranates, figs, apples, a cluster of grapes, a palm tree, and a bird. The Na#aran figure with her face damaged holds a crook and shofar in her right hand and has a bird at her side. The pomegranate recurs in all personifications of Autumn except that at Na#aran. The same attributes of pomegranates and a cluster of grapes carried by the figure in her shawl are found together with Autumn at El Maqerqash, Beth Guvrin, though inscribed Ge (Earth) (pl. VIII.2b), at Daphne (Antioch), and on mosaic II at the Petra church (pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski 2001: 257, 321). Winter (Teveth) (pl. III.11; fig. III-10;). The figure of Winter at Hammath Tiberias is draped, with a scarf over her head, and she has an amphora with water flowing from it at her left. At Sepphoris the fully draped figure has a double-bladed axe on the left, and a sickle, a tree with a fallen branch, and a ploughshare on the right. The jewelled figure at Beth "Alpha is accompanied only by a branch with two leaves and a cylindrical object; the zodiac panel and its significance 47 her wings are much darker than those of the other seasons. The Na#aran figure is almost completely destroyed. She holds a wand in her right hand and an upside-down bird is to her left. The Winters at Hammath Tiberias and at Sepphoris are similar to the winged bust on the mosaic of the church at Qabr Hiram (fig. VIII- 8). In the margin of the mosaic at El Maqerqesh Beth Guvrin, Winter is wrapped in a scarf and holds two ducklings (pl. VIII.2b); likewise on the 5th-century church mosaic at Deir es-Sleib (fig. VIII-7). The mosaics at Zliten (figs. VIII-6) and Ostia (Hanfmann 1951, II: 114) have similar draped figures, but without the amphora. The winged Winter at Caesarea is different: she wears a crown of reeds, has earrings, and holds a stalk (pl. VIII.2a). Several of the seasons’ attributes have comparable objects in the rendering of Labours of the Months at the Villa of the Falconer, Argos (Åkerström -Hougen 1974: Ills. 6,9-11, Tabs.II-IV), and in the 6th-century Beth She"an Monastry, Room L (pl. VIII.9). The symbols and representations of the figures of the seasons in the Hammath Tiberias and Sepphoris zodiacs are similar to those on Roman and Byzantine floors, as seen above, whereas the seasons on the mosaic floors at Beth "Alpha and Na#aran have unique attributes and representations, underlining a distinctive Jewish style. The general form and content of the Sepphoris zodiac is similar to the other synagogue zodiacs, yet some featural variations and different iconographic details at Sepphoris are noteworthy (pl. III.2): • • The Sepphoris zodiac is located rather dif- ferently in the composition from the zodiacs in the other synagogues, where they are in the central panel of a three-panel mosaic carpet. The long narrow hall of the Sepphoris synagogue is paved with a mosaic carpet divided into seven horizontal bands. The centre of the mosaic, the broadest fifth band, depicts the zodiac (Weiss & Netzer 1996: 14; Weiss 2005: 104). The central zodiac circle at Sepphoris (Fig. III-5; pl. III.5), like those elsewhere, renders a chariot with two wheels harnessed to four horses, with a moon and a star shown on the right of the sun. However, instead of the sun god riding the chariot, the sun is shown suspended in the centre; ten rays radiate light, the central one being joined to the chariot (Weiss & Netzer 1996: 26; Weiss 2005: 104-110).
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The Summer attributes, the sickle and sheaf of<br />
wheat, at Hammath Tiberias and Sepphoris are<br />
comparable to those on the mosaic at El Maqerqesh,<br />
Beth Guvrin (pl. VIII.2b) (Vincent 1922:<br />
pl. 10: 1) and at Daphne (Hanfmann 1951, II:<br />
100). By contrast, the Summer attribute at Beth<br />
"Alpha is fruit. Summer (B14) on mosaic II at<br />
the Petra church is the bust of woman exposing<br />
the right breast and shoulder, holding a sickle in<br />
her right hand, a bunch of twigs, and sheaf of<br />
wheat. There is an identifying inscription in Greek<br />
(pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski 2001: 255-6, 320).<br />
Autumn (Tishri) (pl. III.11; fig. III-10). The Hammath<br />
Tiberias mosaic portrays a jewelled figure<br />
holding a cluster of grapes and crowned with<br />
pomegranates and an olive branch. The figure<br />
at Sepphoris is similar to Nisan in her dress and<br />
wavy hair gathered with a clip, and an earring<br />
on her left ear; two pomegranates, a fig, and a<br />
round fruit are beside the figure on the right,<br />
only a vine branch has survived on the left. The<br />
representation of Autumn at Huseifa is the only<br />
season left. She wears a necklace and a crown<br />
and is accompanied by pomegranates, ears of<br />
corn, and a sickle (perhaps a shofar) or palm leaf<br />
on the left and a long object on the right. Avi-<br />
Yonah (1934: 126) suggested that this ‘was meant<br />
for a shade(?) or wings(?)’, and Weiss (2005: 137)<br />
supposes it is a plowshare similar to the one depicted<br />
beside Winter at Sepphoris. At Beth "Alpha<br />
the bust is jewelled and crowned, surrounded by<br />
pomegranates, figs, apples, a cluster of grapes, a<br />
palm tree, and a bird. The Na#aran figure with<br />
her face damaged holds a crook and shofar in her<br />
right hand and has a bird at her side. The pomegranate<br />
recurs in all personifications of Autumn<br />
except that at Na#aran.<br />
The same attributes of pomegranates and a<br />
cluster of grapes carried by the figure in her shawl<br />
are found together with Autumn at El Maqerqash,<br />
Beth Guvrin, though inscribed Ge (Earth)<br />
(pl. VIII.2b), at Daphne (Antioch), and on mosaic<br />
II at the Petra church (pl. VIII.2c) (Waliszewski<br />
2001: 257, 321).<br />
Winter (Teveth) (pl. III.11; fig. III-10;). The figure<br />
of Winter at Hammath Tiberias is draped, with a<br />
scarf over her head, and she has an amphora with<br />
water flowing from it at her left. At Sepphoris the<br />
fully draped figure has a double-bladed axe on<br />
the left, and a sickle, a tree with a fallen branch,<br />
and a ploughshare on the right. The jewelled<br />
figure at Beth "Alpha is accompanied only by a<br />
branch with two leaves and a cylindrical object;<br />
the zodiac panel and its significance 47<br />
her wings are much darker than those of the other<br />
seasons. The Na#aran figure is almost completely<br />
destroyed. She holds a wand in her right hand<br />
and an upside-down bird is to her left.<br />
The Winters at Hammath Tiberias and at<br />
Sepphoris are similar to the winged bust on the<br />
mosaic of the church at Qabr Hiram (fig. VIII-<br />
8). In the margin of the mosaic at El Maqerqesh<br />
Beth Guvrin, Winter is wrapped in a scarf<br />
and holds two ducklings (pl. VIII.2b); likewise on<br />
the 5th-century church mosaic at Deir es-Sleib<br />
(fig. VIII-7). The mosaics at Zliten (figs. VIII-6)<br />
and Ostia (Hanfmann 1951, II: 114) have similar<br />
draped figures, but without the amphora.<br />
The winged Winter at Caesarea is different: she<br />
wears a crown of reeds, has earrings, and holds<br />
a stalk (pl. VIII.2a). Several of the seasons’ attributes<br />
have comparable objects in the rendering<br />
of Labours of the Months at the Villa of the<br />
Falconer, Argos (Åkerström -Hougen 1974: Ills.<br />
6,9-11, Tabs.II-IV), and in the 6th-century Beth<br />
She"an Monastry, Room L (pl. VIII.9).<br />
The symbols and representations of the figures<br />
of the seasons in the Hammath Tiberias and<br />
Sepphoris zodiacs are similar to those on Roman<br />
and Byzantine floors, as seen above, whereas the<br />
seasons on the mosaic floors at Beth "Alpha and<br />
Na#aran have unique attributes and representations,<br />
underlining a distinctive Jewish style.<br />
The general form and content of the Sepphoris<br />
zodiac is similar to the other synagogue zodiacs,<br />
yet some featural variations and different iconographic<br />
details at Sepphoris are noteworthy<br />
(pl. III.2):<br />
•<br />
•<br />
The Sepphoris zodiac is located rather dif-<br />
ferently in the composition from the zodiacs<br />
in the other synagogues, where they are in<br />
the central panel of a three-panel mosaic<br />
carpet. The long narrow hall of the Sepphoris<br />
synagogue is paved with a mosaic<br />
carpet divided into seven horizontal bands.<br />
The centre of the mosaic, the broadest fifth<br />
band, depicts the zodiac (Weiss & Netzer<br />
1996: 14; Weiss 2005: 104).<br />
The central zodiac circle at Sepphoris (Fig.<br />
III-5; pl. III.5), like those elsewhere, renders<br />
a chariot with two wheels harnessed to four<br />
horses, with a moon and a star shown on<br />
the right of the sun. However, instead of<br />
the sun god riding the chariot, the sun is<br />
shown suspended in the centre; ten rays<br />
radiate light, the central one being joined<br />
to the chariot (Weiss & Netzer 1996: 26;<br />
Weiss 2005: 104-110).