Complete
Linguistic features:
Writing from top to bottom
Formulae:
Name and function
Quotations from literary texts:
Dating:
AD 501
-
AD 600
Language:
Greek; Syriac
Monumental:
Medium:
mosaic
Visible:
Accessible:
Has figural depiction:
Has iconoclastic damage:
Activities commemorated:
Label of a biblical scene/figure
Funds:
Price:
Placement:
mosaic floor
People mentioned:
Description
date: probably sixth century (based on the style of the mosaic). description: Figural mosaic. Dimensions not specified. The panel is now in the Museum of Ḥama but it was not made there. It comes from one of nearby archaeological sites though its exact provenance is unknown. The inscription was seized by the antiquities service from illegal dealers. In the scene, Adam is shown on his throne under an arch. He raises his right hand, probably in the scene of blessing and naming the beasts in Paradise (Genesis 2:20). ed. Canivet & Canivet 1975, 56–57. Cf. Donceel-Voûte 1988, 112, note 40 and fig. 78. Greek inscription: large letters to the left and to the right of the head of Adam. Horizontal direction of script. Ἀδ- αμ Syriac inscription: one word in estrangela script situated next to the hand of Adam, between it and the Greek inscription. Vertical direction os script, from bottom to top. ܐܕܡ commentary: The mosaic is very well known. In appears in commentaries to the motif of the naming of the beasts in Christian art. Similar depictions are found throughout the region, for example a spectacular image was preserved at the east end of the nave of the North Church (Baslilca A / Michaelion) at Huarte. As pointed out by Sean Leatherbury, the scene was usually placed in the nave (so this might also be the location of the panel from the Museum of Ḥama), in a prominent position, as also other biblical scenes showing Adam did. For depictions of Adam in Syrian mosaics, see also: Balty, J., 1977. Mosaïques antiques de Syrie (Bruxelles: Centre belge de recherches archéologiques à Apamée de Syrie), 128. Balty, J., ‘Les mosaïques de Syrie au Ve s. et leur répertoire,’ Byzantion 54 (1984), 437-468 Canivet, M.-T., Canivet, P., ‘La mosaïque d'Adam dans l’église syrienne de Huarte,’ Cahiers Archéologiques 24 (1975), 49–67, fig. 8. Canivet, M.-T., Canivet, P., ‘I complessi cristiani del 4 e del 5 secolo a Huarte (Siria settentrionale),’ RAC 56 (1980), 146-172. Canivet, M.-T., Canivet, P., ‘Recherches en Apamène: Huarte (IV-VIe s.),’ Damaszener Mitteilungen 1 (1983), 21-29. Leatherbury, S., Inscribing Faith in Late Antiquity: Between Reading and Seeing (London: Routledge, 2019), 206, note 109. Maguire, H., ‘Adam and the animals: Allegory and the literal sense in early Christian art', Dumbarton Oaks Papers 41 (1987), 363-373 (especially 367–373).
Author:
Paweł Nowakowski
Added by:
Martyna
Created:
2022-08-14 00:28:47
Last update:
2023-11-13 19:55:19
Building:
Unknown
Description:
Dimensions: surface: cm
Condition: Figural mosaic.The panel is now in the Museum of Ḥama but it was not made there. It comes from one of nearby archaeological sites though its exact provenance is unknown. The inscription was seized by the antiquities service from illegal dealers. In the scene, Adam is shown on his throne under an arch. He raises his right hand, probably in the scene of blessing and naming the beasts in Paradise (Genesis 2:20). Greek inscription: large letters to the left and to the right of the head of Adam. Horizontal direction of script. Syriac inscription: one word in estrangela script situated next to the hand of Adam, between it and the Greek inscription. Vertical direction os script, from bottom to top.
Text:
Date: 501 CE - 600 CE
Probably sixth century (based on the style of the mosaic).
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Syria Ḥama (Epiphaneia; Hamah; Amathe; Ḥamā) 35.134337, 36.749628 unknown mosaic floor
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: mosaic inscription
Summary:
Inscription on mosaic with Greek and Syriac scripts from Ḥama (Epiphaneia; Hamah; Amathe; Ḥamā). 501 CE - 600 CE.
Changes history: 2022-01-13 Pawel Nowakowski Creation; 2023-08-15 Pawel Nowakowski Last modification; 2023-10-27 Martyna Swierk Preparation of EpiDoc file
Publication details: University of Warsaw; Warsaw;
Available under licence CC-BY 4.0
; @2021Translation
Commentary
The mosaic is very well known. In appears in commentaries to the motif of the naming of the beasts in Christian art. Similar depictions are found throughout the region, for example a spectacular image was preserved at the east end of the nave of the North Church (Baslilca A / Michaelion) at Huarte. As pointed out by Sean Leatherbury, the scene was usually placed in the nave (so this might also be the location of the panel from the Museum of Ḥama), in a prominent position, as also other biblical scenes showing Adam did.
For depictions of Adam in Syrian mosaics, see also bibliogaphy.
Bibliography (edition)
- M.–T., Canivet, P., Canivet, 1975, La mosaïque d'Adam dans l’église syrienne de Huarte, Cahiers Archéologiques 24, 29-67, fig. 8.
Bibliography
- J., Balty, 1977, Mosaïques antiques de Syrie, Bruxells, 128. J., Balty, 1984, Les mosaïques de Syrie au Ve s. et leur répertoire, Byzantion 54, 437–468. M.–T., Canivet, P., Canivet, 1980, I complessi cristiani del 4 e del 5 secolo a Huarte (Siria settentrionale), RAC 56, 146-172. M.–T., Canivet, P., Canivet, 1983, Recherches en Apamène: Huarte (IV-VIe s.), Damaszener Mitteilungen 1, 21-29. J., Balty, 1977, Mosaïques antiques de Syrie, Bruxells, 128. P., Donceel-Voûte, 1988, Les pavements des eglises byzantines de Syrie et du Liban: décor, archéologie et liturgie, Louvain, 112, note 40 and fig. 78. S., Leatherbury, 2019, Inscribing Faith in Late Antiquity: Between Reading and Seeing, London, 206, note 109. H., Maguire, 1987, Adam and the animals: Allegory and the literal sense in early Christian art, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 41, 363-373 (especially 367–373).