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to right: the top row shows the birds, the middle
row the mammals, and the bottom row the reptiles
(Sukenik 1932: 55, note 4).
The Gerasa scene commemorates the moment
when the animals leave Noah’s Ark, as Noah and
his family celebrate the event. The panel is bordered
by a frieze rendering beasts chasing their
victims, with flowers and plants filling the space;
the frieze scene begins at the inscription with the
chapter four
Figure IV-7. Noah’s Ark, pavement of the Gerasa synagogue vestibule.
beasts facing opposite directions. In the centre
of the east border frieze is an inscription placed
upside-down in relation to the entrance of the
vestibule. The partly destroyed Greek inscription
contains the greeting ‘Holy place. Amen. Sela.
Peace to the Synagogue’. It encircles a menorah
together with the four ritual objects: lulav and
ethrog on one side, shofar and incense shovel on
the other (Hachlili 2001: 58-61).