Mosaic Floor At Sepphoris Synagogue

Published april 28.

Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue.

Dozens of amazing well preserved colorful mosaics with holyland animals and plants images biblical scenes and view. 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. A 44 by 15 foot carpet that covered the floor of a fifth to seventh century c e. Each of its three panels depicts a different scene.

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. Remains of a synagogue dated to the first half of the fifth century were discovered on the northern side of town. Demonstrating an impressive mixing of cultures the central aisle is decorated with jewish and secular images. It is one of a handful of illustrated synagogue mosaics uncovered in israel.

Sepphoris the ornament of all galilee. The holy ark the zodiac and the story isaac s sacrifice. Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue. Following the bar kokhba revolt of 132 135 sepphoris was one of the galilean centers where rabbinical families from judea relocated.

Synagogue mosaic floor sephhoris. The mosaic covering the floor of the ancient sepphoris synagogue was uncovered in 1993 by a construction crew breaking ground on a parking lot. Zippori zodiac mosaic floor. 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.

This fifth century mosaic is a depiction of the zodiac wheel. 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. The artistic highlight of sepphoris is the elaborate floor of an elegant roman villa. It is large and in many places relatively well preserved.

Excavations have uncovered only one synagogue in sepphoris which dates to the fifth century ce. Famous mosaic is called the mona lisa of the galilee. In the 7th century the town was conquered by the arab rashidun armies during the muslim conquest of the levant. The sepphoris synagogue mosaic is remarkable in several respects.