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. Mosaic floor at sepphoris synagogue. It is large and in many places relatively well preserved. Each of its three panels depicts a different scene. Following the bar kokhba revolt of 132 135 sepphoris was one of the galilean centers where rabbinical families from judea relocated.

It is one of a handful of illustrated synagogue mosaics uncovered in israel. Famous mosaic is called the mona lisa of the galilee. Zippori zodiac mosaic floor. Published april 28.

The floor of the beth alpha synagogue built during the reign of justinian i 518 527 ce also features elaborate nave mosaics. 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. 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. The artistic highlight of sepphoris is the elaborate floor of an elegant roman villa.

This fifth century mosaic is a depiction of the zodiac wheel. A 44 by 15 foot carpet that covered the floor of a fifth to seventh century c e. Sepphoris tzippori galilee synagogue churches and mosaics. 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.

The sepphoris synagogue mosaic is remarkable in several respects. Synagogue mosaic floor sephhoris. Sepphoris the ornament of all galilee. Dozens of amazing well preserved colorful mosaics with holyland animals and plants images biblical scenes and view.

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. Excavations have uncovered only one synagogue in sepphoris which dates to the fifth century ce. Remains of a synagogue dated to the first half of the fifth century were discovered on the northern side of town.