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© Center for Jewish Art, Photographer: Radovan, Zev,
This mosaic pavement is situated in the southernmost aisle of the Gaza synagogue, oriented from east to west, following the synagogue's orientation. The mosaic's border consists of a double-guilloche pattern, and within this border is an elongated rectangle, forming a single decorated with inhabited vine-scrolls.The medallions, which are arranged in eleven rows of three, with the first row at the top, in the east, and the eleventh at the bottom, in the west, are formed by vine-scrolls. Vine leaves, tendrils and grape clusters are interspersed throughout the background of the panel. They appear both within the frames of the medallions and in the spaces formed between them. A row of birds alternates with a row of four-legged animals, the uppermost row being occupied by depictions of birds. The outer medallions in each row usually depict the same animal, facing the center, and a different animal, of the same species, in the row's central medallion. The central medallion of the ninth row from the top has a dedicatory inscription. Starting from the left medallion of the first row from the top, these are the animals depicted: three birds (two ducks?); two leopards and a horse; three birds (two cranes?); two foxes (hunting-dogs?) and a goat (a deer?); two birds (partridges?) and a bird in a cage; two giraffes and a zebra; two birds (flamingos?) (the central medallion is destroyed); a lioness with a cub, a donkey and a tigress; two birds (peacocks?) and an inscription in the central medallion; a bear and a stag; a bird. Due to the damage caused to the western part of the mosaic, it is impossible to determine whether the vine scrolls rose from an amphora or an acanthus leaf.
Name/Title
Gaza Synagogue | Unknown
Object Detail
Southern Aisle, Medallions Panel
Settings
Unknown
Date
508-509 CE
Active dates
Reconstruction dates
Artist/ Maker
Unknown (Unknown)
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
Congregation
Unknown
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Period Detail
Collection
Unknown |
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Material / Technique
The tesserae are made of limestone, marble, glass and clay.
They are laid in curved lines within the figures and forming the scrolls, and in straight parallel lines in the background.
The figures' outline consists of one line of black tesserae. The figures, scrolls, grapes and leaves are surrounded by one line of white tesserae.
The average number of tesserae in 10cm2 is (10x10). The highest density is found in the right medallion, second from the top,
in the leopard's paws, as well as in the right medallion, sixth from the top, in the giraffe's legs, where the density equals (14x16).
The lowest density is found in the left medallion, fifth from the top, in the bird's body, where the density equals (7x8).
Various hues of red, including burgundy, brick-red and pink, yellow, including ochre, and green are used,
besides the many hues of white and black, which include many shades of gray, ranging from bluish to brownish gray.
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
Height
Length
Width
Total field: 332cm; border 29-32 cm.
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Subject
Unknown |
Condition
A large part of the mosaic is damaged. The western end of the mosaic, some of the central areas and part of the eastern end are destroyed. The damage equals approximately one third of the medallions.
Extant
Documented by CJA
Surveyed by CJA
Present Usage
Present Usage Details
Condition of Building Fabric
Architectural Significance type
Historical significance: Event/Period
Historical significance: Collective Memory/Folklore
Historical significance: Person
Architectural Significance: Style
Architectural Significance: Artistic Decoration
Urban significance
Significance Rating
Textual Content
Unknown |
Languages of inscription
Unknown
Shape / Form
Unknown
0
Ornamentation
Custom
Contents
Codicology
Scribes
Script
Number of Lines
Ruling
Pricking
Quires
Catchwords
Hebrew Numeration
Blank Leaves
Direction/Location
Façade (main)
Endivances
Location of Torah Ark
Location of Apse
Location of Niche
Location of Reader's Desk
Location of Platform
Temp: Architecture Axis
Arrangement of Seats
Location of Women's Section
Direction Prayer
Direction Toward Jerusalem
Coin
Coin Series
Coin Ruler
Coin Year
Denomination
Signature
Colophon
Scribal Notes
Watermark
Hallmark
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
Summary and Remarks
Remarks
Suggested Reconsdivuction
History/Provenance
Main Surveys & Excavations
Bibliography
Ovadiah, "Ancient Synagogue", IEJ 19 (1969), pp. 193-198; Ovadiah, A. & R., Mosaic Pavements, 1987, pp. 60-61; Avi-Yonah, "Une Ecole", Colloque Mosaique, 1975, pp. 377-382.
Short Name
Full Name
Volume
Page
Type
Documenter
| T.S.W. 2.1986, T.N. 7.1995
Author of description
|
Architectural Drawings
|
Computer Reconstruction
|
Section Head
|
Language Editor
|
Donor
|
Negative/Photo. No.
035036