Complete
Linguistic features:
Formulae:
Quotations from literary texts:
Dating:
AD 275
-
AD 325
Language:
Jewish Palestinian Aramaic
Monumental:
Medium:
mosaic
Visible:
Accessible:
Has figural depiction:
Has iconoclastic damage:
Activities commemorated:
Funds:
own property
Price:
Placement:
Panel 11 in the western aisle
People mentioned:
Description
date: late third–early fourth century CE = 275-325 CE description: Dedicatory inscription in the Panel 11 in the western aisle. The inscription is a part of a surviving portion of Panel 11 (214 × 141 cm), close to the southern corner of the synagogue. The borders of the panel are preserved on the northern and eastern sides, the latter was bordering the nave. The southern and western sections of the panel were damaged in antiquity and subsequently plastered. The panel was enclosed by a simple guilloche, 9 cm wide, flanked on the exterior by a black band and on the interior by a red fillet, creating a frame, 19 cm wide. The panel shows eight human figures including Philistines warriors and the depiction of giant Samson. The latter was not full preserved, legs and a hand is visible only. ed. IIP wham0001 ברה דשימונא אבדו הדה טבלה מנדידון '(The?) son(s) of Simon made [i.e., donated] this panel from their own [means].' IIP wham0001 & Leibner 2018: 189-190 commentary: In the first line, ‘the sons of Simon’ are mentioned or only one person ‘… son of Simon’, whose first name is not preserved. The second interpretation prevailed in the final publication by Leibner. In the second and third lines the language reverts to the plural. Most likely, the inscription commemorated two donors and the name of the second was at the beginning of the second line. The letter tet near the beginning of the first line could be part of the name of the first donor, but it could also be part of the usual formula in dedicatory inscriptions in synagogues: remembered for good (דכירין לטב). The unusual form with prefix d-, infix -y-, and suffix -ʾ is attested. It is not sure why a simple form ‘bar Shim‘on’ (בר שמעון) was not used. The word ‘donated’ was erroneously written with an alef instead of an ‘ayin, probably reflecting the phenomenon of the weakening guttural sounds. The verb עבד which literally means “to make” is attested in a number of dedicatory inscriptions from synagogues. Its meaning, however, does not refer to the physical construction but rather to the financial support. The end of the inscription clearly indicates that it refers to a financial grant, and that the donors did not make the mosaic by their hands. The word טבלה is a transcription of the Latin word tabula. The same term for a mosaic panel is known from synagogue inscriptions in the synagogue of Sepphoris, in Greek, and in two inscriptions from the synagogue at Kafr Kanna and another one from the synagogue at Ḥorvat ‘Ammudim, in Hebrew. Leibner, U., Khirbet Wadi Ḥamam: A Roman-Period Village and Synagogue in the Lower Galilee. The Institue of Archaeology. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2018, p. 189-190 https://library.brown.edu/iip/viewinscr/wham0001/
Author:
Tomasz Barański
Added by:
Martyna
Created:
2023-02-21 13:29:44
Last update:
2024-01-20 10:21:31
Building:
Synagogue
Site:
Khirbet Wadi Hamam
Dimensions: surface: cm
Condition: Dedicatory inscription in the Panel 11 in the western aisle. The inscription is a part of a surviving portion of Panel 11 (214 × 141 cm), close to the southern corner of the synagogue. The borders of the panel are preserved on the northern and eastern sides, the latter was bordering the nave. The southern and western sections of the panel were damaged in antiquity and subsequently plastered. The panel was enclosed by a simple guilloche, 9 cm wide, flanked on the exterior by a black band and on the interior by a red fillet, creating a frame, 19 cm wide. The panel shows eight human figures including Philistines warriors and the depiction of giant Samson. The latter was not full preserved, legs and a hand is visible only.
Text:
Date: 275 CE - 325 CE
late third–early fourth century CE
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Palestina Khirbet Wadi Hamam 32.828333, 35.492222 Synagogue Panel 11 in the western aisle
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: dedicatory inscription
Summary:
Dedicatory inscription in JPA script on mosaic from Khirbet Wadi Hamam. 275 CE - 325 CE.
Changes history: 2023-02-21 Tomasz Barański Creation; 2024-01-20 Martyna Swierk Last modification; 2024-01-20 Martyna Swierk Preparation of EpiDoc file
Publication details: University of Warsaw; Warsaw;
Available under licence CC-BY 4.0
; @2021Translation
'(The?) son(s) of Simon made [i.e., donated] this panel from their own [means]' (IIP wham0001 and Leibner 2018: 189-190)
Commentary
In the first line, ‘the sons of Simon’ are mentioned or only one person ‘… son of Simon’, whose first name is not preserved. The second interpretation prevailed in the final publication by Leibner. In the second and third lines the language reverts to the plural. Most likely, the inscription commemorated two donors and the name of the second was at the beginning of the second line. The letter tet near the beginning of the first line could be part of the name of the first donor, but it could also be part of the usual formula in dedicatory inscriptions in synagogues: remembered for good (דכירין לטב). The unusual form with prefix d-, infix -y-, and suffix -ʾ is attested. It is not sure why a simple form ‘bar Shim‘on’ (בר שמעון) was not used. The word ‘donated’ was erroneously written with an alef instead of an ‘ayin, probably reflecting the phenomenon of the weakening guttural sounds. The verb עבד which literally means “to make” is attested in a number of dedicatory inscriptions from synagogues. Its meaning, however, does not refer to the physical construction but rather to the financial support. The end of the inscription clearly indicates that it refers to a financial grant, and that the donors did not make the mosaic by their hands. The word טבלה is a transcription of the Latin word tabula. The same term for a mosaic panel is known from synagogue inscriptions in the synagogue of Sepphoris, in Greek, and in two inscriptions from the synagogue at Kafr Kanna and another one from the synagogue at Ḥorvat ‘Ammudim, in Hebrew.
Bibliography
- U., Leibner, 2018, Khirbet Wadi Ḥamam: A Roman-Period Village and Synagogue in the Lower Galilee, Jerusalem 189–190.