Conservative approaches in the ancient synagogue mosaic pavements in Israel : The cases of ‘Ein Gedi and Sepphoris/Zippori

The uniqueness of the ‘Ein Gedi synagogue (5th century CE) is reflected in several mosaic inscriptions, which give a clear idea of the particular religious view of the Jewish community. The textual respresentation of the twelve signs of the zodiac wheel, instead of a figurative one, was tendentious and stood in total opposition to the visual depiction. A similar conservative approach appears in the non-figural (aniconic) representation of Helios/Sol in the zodiac wheel of the synagogue mosaic at Sepphoris/Zippori (5th century CE). This representation of Helios/Sol, as a rayed sun-disk, emphasizes the intolerant and non-liberal perception of the Jewish sages in Sepphoris/Zippori, following the Biblical Second Commandment and in contrast to other synagogues of the early Byzantine period in Israel. (Author’s abstract.)