İsrail, Hazor-Ashdod Kilisesi’nin Mozaik Zeminleri

The House of Kyrios Leontis in Nysa Scythopolis (Beth-Shean) was partially excavated by two expeditions and at different times, and the mosaic floors have been published only in preliminary publications. Two halls were discovered in the complex. The first hall is decorated with a mosaic pavement of three panels: the Homeric story of Odysseus and the Sirens; beribboned parrots surrounding a dedication inscription; the Nile god, Nilometer, the city of Alexandria, and a Nilotic landscape. The second hall served as a prayer room or a small synagogue. A pair of animals decorated the two entrances, and the hall itself is decorated with populated vine scrolls with animals. Jewish ritual objects appear in the central medallion: the seven-branched candlestick, citron, censer, and ram's horn. The mosaic floors are inlaid with dedication inscriptions in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, with the names of the donors and prayers for the holy congregation.The iconography, incorporating mythological subjects, the god of the Nile and Nilotic landscape, Jewish ritual objects, common animal chase scenes, and the use of the three languages that were customary in Byzantine Palestine, expresses the character of the city of Nysa Scythopolis as a cultural city inhabited by a mixed, welleducated population.

The Mosaic Floors of the House of Kyrios Leontis in Nysa Scythopolis (Beth Shean)

Habas

2021

Symbols of Faith in the Mosaic Floors of the Newly Discovered Ecclesiastical Complex at Ashdod Maritima, Israel

HABAS

2023

An ecclesiastical complex has recently been discovered in Ashdod Maritima – ancient Azotus. The site was excavated in 2019 and 2021. The complex includes a basilica, several rooms, and a chapel on the north side, all decorated with mosaic pavements. A mixed trend comes to light in the mosaics: on the one hand, there is a continuation of the geometric and vegetal compositions and motifs that originated in the Roman world and continued into the Byzantine period. On the other hand, the complex is unique in the many symbols of faith that appear, scattered throughout its parts. All types of crosses are depicted; a medallion with a Greek cross accompanied by the Greek letters iota-chi, and alpha and omega; a medallion with a Latin cross standing on Golgotha Hill with the Greek letters iota-chi and alpha and omega; a large Latin cross standing on Golgotha Hill with two large Greek crosses between its arms; and a medallion with a quote from Psalms. The complex is exceptional in the large number of crosses, the names of the bishops, priest, deacon, and deaconesses who were involved in the construction and decoration or were buried in the complex, and the large number of dated inscriptions.

Hadrianopolis Kiliseleri Zemin Mozaiklerindeki Haç ve Haçvari Motifler

VERİM,

ÇELİKBAŞ

2023

Hadrianopolis’te geçmişten günümüze kadar yapılan kazı çalışmalarıyla üç kilise ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Erken Bizans Dönemi’ne tarihlenen bu kiliseler; Hadrianopolis Khora Kilisesi, Dört Nehir Kilisesi ve Kuzeybatı Nekropol Kilisesi olarak adlandırılmaktadır. Kiliselere değer katan en önemli özelliklerinden biri, zeminlerinin Erken Bizans dönemi süsleme karakterini yansıtan mozaiklerle bezenmiş olmalarıdır. Yukarıda adı geçen üç kilisenin zemin mozaiklerinde bazıları büyük bazıları küçük boyutlu, farklı türde haç motifleri görülmektedir. 427 tarihli Theodosius Novellası ve 6. yüzyıldaki Iustinianus Kodeksi’nde zeminde haç motifi yapımı yasaklanmasına rağmen, 5.-6. yüzyıl arasına tarihlenen Hadrianopolis zemin mozaiklerinde, haç motiflerinin işlenmiş olması oldukça dikkat çekicidir. Hadrianopolis mozaiklerinde haç motiflerinin yapılması, dönemin mozaik sanatçılarının haç motifi yapmaktan kendini alıkoyamadıklarıyla açıklanabilir. Ayrıca imparatorluk ve kilise tarafından alınan kararların kentteki geçerliliği ve uygulanabilirliğini de tartışmaya açmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Hadrianopolis zemin mozaiklerindeki haç-haçvari motiflerin biçimsel özellikleri ve tipolojisi ele alınmış, farklı coğrafyalardaki benzer örneklerle karşılaştırılarak motiflerin stilistik özellikleri değerlendirilmiştir. Kiliselerin tarihlendirme sorunsalına da yardımcı olan haç ve haçvari motiflerinin detaylı açıklanarak tanıtılması, bölge arkeolojine olduğu gibi Bizans mozaik sanatına da katkı sunacaktır.