Mosaic Floor At Sepphoris Synagogue

Published april 28.

Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue.

The artistic highlight of sepphoris is the elaborate floor of an elegant roman villa. Archaeologists were quickly called to the site to. A 44 by 15 foot carpet that covered the floor of a fifth to seventh century c e. Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue.

The holy ark the zodiac and the story isaac s sacrifice. The synagogue was graced with a richly colored mosaic floor featuring a plethora of jewish symbols biblical scenes and dedicatory inscriptions in aramaic and greek. Excavations have uncovered only one synagogue in sepphoris which dates to the fifth century ce. It is large and in many places relatively well preserved.

The sepphoris synagogue mosaic is remarkable in several respects. Remains of a synagogue dated to the first half of the fifth century were discovered on the northern side of town. The floor of the beth alpha synagogue built during the reign of justinian i 518 527 ce also features elaborate nave mosaics. Sepphoris tzippori galilee synagogue churches and mosaics.

Following the bar kokhba revolt of 132 135 sepphoris was one of the galilean centers where rabbinical families from judea relocated. Famous mosaic is called the mona lisa of the galilee. Zippori zodiac mosaic floor. Excavations at sepphoris have uncovered streets houses public buildings bathhouses a market two churches a synagogue a roman theatre aqueducts a huge elongated water reservoir 260 metres long and more than 40 mosaic floors.

This fifth century mosaic is a depiction of the zodiac wheel. In the 7th century the town was conquered by the arab rashidun armies during the muslim conquest of the levant. This mosaic and other synagogue remains are considered among the most important and exciting finds in jewish art since the discovery of the dura europos synagogue in syria seventy. Each of its three panels depicts a different scene.

The mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue was discovered in 1993 by a crew building a parking lot at the edge of the national archaeological park of sepphoris. Demonstrating an impressive mixing of cultures the central aisle is decorated with jewish and secular images. Sepphoris the ornament of all galilee. Synagogue mosaic floor sephhoris.