Complete
Linguistic features:
Formulae:
Quotations from literary texts:
Dating:
AD 200
-
AD 400
Language:
Hebrew
Monumental:
Medium:
mosaic
Visible:
Accessible:
Has figural depiction:
Has iconoclastic damage:
Activities commemorated:
Funds:
Price:
Placement:
the center of the nave
People mentioned:
Description
date: 200-400 CE description: Mosaic inscription in the nave. Three Hebrew letters next to the head of an animal. ed. Barag 1993: 660 [אפ]רים '[Eph]raim' commentary: Sukenik supposed that 12 circles were decorated with animal depictions represented 12 Jewish tribes that had them as their symbolic representation. The inscription above an ox was not preserved. The animal depicted with the preserved inscription was identified as a buffalo. The problem of this interpretation is that the buffalo was typically the symbol of Manasseh, not Ephraim. If it was rather the Zodiac, then this animal could be rather a ram depicting Aries, but in Hebrew it is usually called טלה (ṭaleh), which certainly is not the case here. Barag, D., 1993, "Japhia," [in:] The New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land: 659-660. Milson 2007: 473 Naveh 1978: 69-70 https://synagogues.kinneret.ac.il/synagogues/japhia/
Author:
Tomasz Barański
Added by:
Martyna
Created:
2023-04-21 22:32:13
Last update:
2024-01-20 22:34:10
Dimensions: surface: cm
Condition: Mosaic inscription in the nave. Three Hebrew letters next to the head of an animal.
Text:
Date: 200 CE - 400 CE
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Palestina Japhia 32.685833, 35.274444 Synagogue the center of the nave
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: mosaic inscription
Summary:
Mosaic inscription in Hebrew script from Japhia. 200 CE - 400 CE.
Changes history: 2023-04-21 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
'[Eph]raim'
Commentary
Sukenik supposed that 12 circles were decorated with animal depictions represented 12 Jewish tribes that had them as their symbolic representation. The inscription above an ox was not preserved. The animal depicted with the preserved inscription was identified as a buffalo. The problem of this interpretation is that the buffalo was typically the symbol of Manasseh, not Ephraim. If it was rather the Zodiac, then this animal could be rather a ram depicting Aries, but in Hebrew it is usually called טלה (ṭaleh), which certainly is not the case here.
Bibliography (edition)
- D., Barag, 1993, Japhia, [in:] The New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land 2, 659-660.
Bibliography
- D.W., Milson, 2007, Art and Architecture of the Synagogue in Late Antique Palestine. In the Shadow of the Church, Leiden, 473. J., Naveh, 1978, On Stone and Mosaic: The Aramaic and Hebrew Inscriptions from Ancient Synagogues, Tel Aviv, 69-70.