Palmyra. Season 2003: Preliminary Report

The mosaic pavement discovered in 2002 was entirely cleared. The floor mosaic covered a so-colled Bellerephone Hall. The mosaic floor measures 9 m by 5.50 (the original dimensions was probably 9.60 m by 6.30 m). The central two panels are surrounded by a special large and rich acanthus border with four representations of the female heads. The first-one represents Bellerophon riding Pegasus and killing Chimera, the second-one figures a horseman who is shooting his bow at a tiger. There is a short inscription in Palmyrene cursive script, a signature of an artist Theodotos or Diodotos. He announces to have made the mosaic together with his sons. The rest of the mosaic floor, outside of the central mosaic carpet, is decorated by the 16 figural and 8 geometrical smaller panels surrounded by a weaving band (two panthers drinking from a kantharos, two female griffins placing a paw on a bull’s head, two pairs of goats under a tree, a lone buck in front of a tree, fish, fruit, ducks and peacocks). The author thinks that the hall was used for feasting (triclinium). The mosaic pavement dates to middle of the 3rd century (stylistic parallels).