Mosaic Floor At Sepphoris Synagogue

The synagogue was graced with a richly colored mosaic floor featuring a plethora of jewish symbols biblical scenes and dedicatory inscriptions in aramaic and greek.

Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue.

This fifth century mosaic is a depiction of the zodiac wheel. The mosaic covering the floor of the ancient sepphoris synagogue was uncovered in 1993 by a construction crew breaking ground on a parking lot. The holy ark the zodiac and the story isaac s sacrifice. Archaeologists were quickly called to the site to.

In the 7th century the town was conquered by the arab rashidun armies during the muslim conquest of the levant. Each of its three panels depicts a different scene. Sepphoris tzippori galilee synagogue churches and mosaics. Synagogue mosaic floor sephhoris.

The artistic highlight of sepphoris is the elaborate floor of an elegant roman villa. Sepphoris the ornament of all galilee. Excavations have uncovered only one synagogue in sepphoris which dates to the fifth century ce. The floor of the beth alpha synagogue built during the reign of justinian i 518 527 ce also features elaborate nave mosaics.

It is large and in many places relatively well preserved. This mosaic and other synagogue remains are considered among the most important and exciting finds in jewish art since the discovery of the dura europos synagogue in syria seventy. Famous mosaic is called the mona lisa of the galilee. The mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue was discovered in 1993 by a crew building a parking lot at the edge of the national archaeological park of sepphoris.

Dozens of amazing well preserved colorful mosaics with holyland animals and plants images biblical scenes and view. Excavations at sepphoris have uncovered streets houses public buildings bathhouses a market two churches a synagogue a roman theatre aqueducts a huge elongated water reservoir 260 metres long and more than 40 mosaic floors. Zippori zodiac mosaic floor. Demonstrating an impressive mixing of cultures the central aisle is decorated with jewish and secular images.

Published april 28. Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue. The sepphoris synagogue mosaic is remarkable in several respects. It is one of a handful of illustrated synagogue mosaics uncovered in israel.