ANCIENT JEWISH ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE DIASPORA

Transcription

1 ANCIENT JEWISH ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE DIASPORA BY RACHEL HACHLILI D o BRILL LEIDEN BOSTON KOLN

2 CONTENTS List of Figures xii List of Plates xxi List of Colored Plates xxvii Foreword xxix Acknowledgments xxx Introduction xxxii Historical Background 1 CHAPTER I THE SYNAGOGUE 13 A The Temple and the Synagogue 13 B Origins of the Synagogue '. 14 The Emergence of the Synagogue 15 Archaeological & Textual Evidence 17 Archaeological Evidence 17 Textual evidence 18 Conclusions 20 C The Synagogue and the Community 22 Synagoge Activities 22 Synagoge Administration 23 Women in the Synagoge 23 CHAPTER II SYNAGOGUE ARCHITECTURE 25 A Description of Diaspora Synagogues 25 Aegina 25 Apamea 32 Bova Marina 34 Delos 35 Dura-Europos 39 Comparisons Between the Early and Later Dura Synagogue Buildings 44 Elche 45 Hammam-Lif 47 Lepcis Magna 49

3 VI CONTENTS Miletus (?) 51 Misis-Mopsuhestia 51 Ostia 53 Philippopolis 55 Priene 56 Sardis 58 Stobi 63 B Characteristic Features of the Synagogue 67 The Torah Shrine 67 Torah Shrine Elements 76 Synagogue Architectural Furnishings 79 The Women's Gallery 84 C Synagogues Known from Architectural Fragments 85 D Synagogues Known from Inscriptions 88 E General Conclusions 89 Synagogue Locations 89 Types of Structures 90 Synagogue Design 90 Synagogues Converted into Churches 92 Distinguishing Features 93 CHAPTER III SYNAGOGUE ART: THE DURA-EUROPOS SYNAGOGUE WALL PAINTINGS 96 A Description of the Wall Paintings 96 Wall Paintings, Earlier Building 96 Wall Paintings, Later Building, First Stage 98 Wall Paintings, Later Building, Second Stage 104 The West Wall 104 The North Wall 122 The East Wall 127 The South Wall 130 The Dado 133 The Dipinti 135 B Iconography of the Wall Paintings 135 Figures, Costumes & Gestures 136 Representations of Scenes 146

4 CONTENTS VII Elements of Scenery, Architecture and Objects 155 C Composition & Style of the Wall Paintings 174 Organization & Composition 174 Color 176 Figures 176 Frontality & Style 177 D Meaning & Interpretation of the Wall Paintings 178 E Origins & Sources 182 Origins of the Synagogue Structure 182 Origins of the Wall Paintings 182 Sources for the Biblical Paintings 185 Artistic Sources 8c Influences 190 F Conclusions 193 CHAPTER IV SYNAGOGUE ART: MOSAIC PAVEMENTS 198 A The Mosaic Pavements 198 Aegina 198 Apamea 198 Bova Marina 204 Elche 205 Hammam-Lif 207 Misis-Mopsuhestia 209 Ostia 216 Philippopolis 217 Sardis 218 Stobi 231 B Composition & Style 233 C Sources for Mosaic Pavements 235 D Conclusions 236 CHAPTER V FIGURATIVE ART 237 A Biblical Scenes 239 The Sacrifice of Isaac 239 David-Orpheus 247 Noah's Ark at Misis-Mopsuhestia 249 Noah's Ark on the Earlier Mosaic Pavement 249 Noah's Ark on the Later Mosaic Pavement 251

5 VIII CONTENTS Noah on the Apamea Coins 255 The Samson Cycle at Misis-Mopsuhestia 256 CHAPTER VI BURIAL AND FUNERARY PRACTICES 263 A Funerary Architecture 263 Loculi Tomb Burials 263 The Necropolis of Leontopolis 263 The Necropoleis at Alexandria 264 The Necropolis at Gammarath Hill 265 Catacomb Burials 266 Jewish Catacombs of Rome 266 The Catacombs of Venosa 273 The Hypogea of Malta 273 The Hypogea of Sicily 275 B Wall Paintings 275 Vigna Randanini 275 Villa Torlonia 279 Style & Composition 281 Venosa 282 Malta 282 Gammarath Hill, Carthage 283 C Sarcophagi 285 Sarcophagi from the Catacombs at Rome 285 Jewish lead coffins from Cilicia 291 D Gold Glasses 292 E Tombstones 304 F Clay Lamps 305 G Miscellaneous Finds 305 H Funerary Practices 306 CHAPTER VII JEWISH SYMBOLS 311 A The Menorah 312 The Menorah on the Arch of Titus 312 The Menorah in the Synagogue 316 The Form of the Menorah Depicted in Synagogues 323 Menorah Depictions in a Burial Context 330

6 CONTENTS IX Menoroth Depicted on Clay Lamps 337 Notable Forms of Menorah 339 Pairs of Menoroth 340 The Chronological Development of the Form of the Menorah 343 The Significance and Symbolism of the Menorah 343 B The Shewbread Table 345 C Ritual Objects 347 D Sanctuary & Ark Structures 360 The Temple in Jerusalem 360 The Torah Shrine 363 The Ark of the Scrolls 366 The Ark of the Covenant 370 E The Conch 373 F Lamps Decorated with Jewish Symbols 374 CHAPTER VIII MOTIFS OF JEWISH ART 379 A Plant Ornaments 379 B Geometric Ornaments 381 C Animal & Bird Motifs 382 D Human Figures 391 E Mythological Figures 392 F Objects 394 CHAPTER IX INSCRIPTIONS 398 A Synagogue Inscriptions 398 Aegina 401 Apamea 402 Delos 403 Dura-Europos 403 Elche 407 Hammam-Lif 408 Ostia 409 Philippopolis 409 Sardis 410 Stobi 412 B Funerary Inscriptions 413

7 X CONTENTS Egypt 414 The Jewish Catacombs of Rome 415 The Venosa Catacombs 416 Malta 417 Sicily & the Roman World 417 CHAPTER X FEATURES OF JEWISH ART 419 A Unidentical Symmetrical Compositions 419 B Original Jewish Iconographic Conventions 420 C The Triadic Symmetrical Composition 421 D Groups of Special Numbers 421 E Iconoclasm 422 Iconoclasm at Dura 422 Iconoclasm at Sardis 423 CHAPTER XI JEWISH, CHRISTIAN & PAGAN ART 424 A Jewish, Christian and Pagan Art at Dura-Europos 424 Architecture 424 Decoration 425 Iconography 427 Christian Paintings at Dura 427 The Dura Synagogue and Christian Art 428 Dura as an Influence on Early Christian Art 428 Dura as the Source of Later Christian Art 430 B Funerary Customs and Art 432 Funerary Customs 432 Jewish and Christian Catacombs 432 C Synagogue and Church 434 Architecture 435 Art 436 D The Position of Jews in Sardis and their Relations with non-jews 438 CHAPTER XII ARTISTS & PATTERN BOOKS 441 A Artists, Craftsmen and Workshops 441

8 CONTENTS XI The Artists 441 Artists Identified by Inscriptions 443 Dura 443 Sardis 444 Jewish Artists 445 Workshops 445 B Pattern Books 449 CHAPTER XIII DATING 454 A Synagogue Dating 454 B Dating of Tombs and Catacombs 457 CHAPTER XIV CONCLUSIONS 459 Abbreviations 465 Bibliography 466 Glossary 487 Chronological Table 489 Index 491 Plates