Complete
Linguistic features:
Formulae:
Quotations from literary texts:
Dating:
AD 401
-
AD 600
Language:
Hebrew; Jewish Palestinian Aramaic
Monumental:
Medium:
mosaic
Visible:
Accessible:
Has figural depiction:
Has iconoclastic damage:
Activities commemorated:
zodiac
Funds:
unknown
Price:
unknown
Placement:
nave
People mentioned:
Description
date: 5-6 c. CE description: Zodiac and seasons with Aramaic inscriptions on mosaic on the central panel in the nave of the main hall (C). The central panel of the central mosaic floor is a colourful Zodiac, with Helios and his chariot in the centre and the four seasons in the corners. The names of the Zodiac signs and the seasons are written in square Jewish script in black tesserae. Dimensions: 405x405 cm Source of image: CIIP IV fig. 2732.1 and Werlin 2015: fig. 13 ed. CIIP IV 2732 טלה | שור | [תאו]מים | סרטן | אריה | בתולה | מוזניים | [עקרב] | [קשת] | [גדי] | [דלי] | דגים | תקו[פת ני]סן | [תקופת תמוז]| תקופת [תש]רי | תקופת טיבית ṭlh | šwr | [tʾw]mym | srṭn | ʾryh | btwlh | mwznyym | [ʿqrb] | [qšt] | [gdy] | [dly] | dgym tqw[pt n]ysn | [tqwpt tmwz] | tqwpt [tš]ry | tqwpt ṭybyt 'Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Carpricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. The season of Nisan (Spring), The season of Tammuz (Summer), The season of Tishrei (Autumn), The season of Tevet (Winter).' commentary: Some depictions have been damaged along with the almost total obliteration of the figurative representations due to the iconoclastic activities. In addition to Naʿaran, zodiacs have been discovered in the synagogues at Ḥamat Tiberias, Sepphoris, Beth Alfa, Ḥuseifa, and Susiya. Their function in a Jewish building has been intensely debated, see most recently Hachlili, Ancient Synagogues 339-88; Levine, Ancient Synagogue 572-8. CIIP IV 2732 Naveh 1978: 102-103 (67)
Author:
Tomasz Barański
Added by:
Martyna
Created:
2022-11-02 12:34:41
Last update:
2023-12-12 14:53:16
Building:
Synagogue
Dimensions: surface: w 405 x h 405 cm
Condition: Zodiac and seasons with Aramaic inscriptions on mosaic on the central panel in the nave of the main hall (C). The central panel of the central mosaic floor is a colourful Zodiac, with Helios and his chariot in the centre and the four seasons in the corners. The names of the Zodiac signs and the seasons are written in square Jewish script in black tesserae.
Text:
Date: 401 CE - 600 CE
5-6 c. CE
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Palestine Naaran (Na'aran; Noara; 'Ein Duk) 31.883826, 35.444813 Synagogue nave
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: mosaic inscription
Summary:
Bilingual mosaic inscription in JPA and Hebrew on mosaic with Zodiac and seasons from Naaran (Na'aran; Noara; 'Ein Duk). 401 CE - 600 CE.
Changes history: 2022-11-02 Tomasz Barański Creation; 2023-12-12 Martyna Swierk Last modification; 2023-12-12 Martyna Swierk Preparation of EpiDoc file
Publication details: University of Warsaw; Warsaw;
Available under licence CC-BY 4.0
; @2021Translation
'Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Carpricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. The season of Nisan (Spring), The season of Tammuz (Summer), The season of Tishrei (Autumn), The season of Tevet (Winter)'
Commentary
Some depictions have been damaged along with the almost total obliteration of the figurative representations due to the iconoclastic activities. In addition to Naʿaran, zodiacs have been discovered in the synagogues at Ḥamat Tiberias, Sepphoris, Beth Alfa, Ḥuseifa, and Susiya. Their function in a Jewish building has been intensely debated, see most recently Hachlili, Ancient Synagogues 339-88; Levine, Ancient Synagogue 572-8.
Bibliography (edition)
- CIIP IV W., Ameling, H., Cotton, W., Eck, A., Ecker, B., Isaac, A., Kushnir-Stein, H., Misgav, J., Price, P., Weiß, A., Yardeni, 2023, Corpus inscriptionum Iudaeae/Palaestinae. Volume IV: Iudaea/Idumaea, Berlin, Boston, 2732.
Bibliography
- J., Naveh, 1978, On Stone and Mosaic: The Aramaic and Hebrew Inscriptions from Ancient Synagogues, Tel Aviv, 102-103 67. S.H., Werlin, 2015, Ancient Synagogues of Southern Palestine, 300-800 C.E.: Living on the Edge, Leiden, fig. 13.