ANCIENT JEWISH ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE DIASPORA HANDBUCH DER ORIENTALISTIK HANDBOOK OF ORIENTAL STUDIES ERSTE ABTEILUNG DER NAHE UND MITTLERE OSTEN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST HERAUSGEGEBEN VON H. ALTENMOLLER · B. HROUDA · B.A. LEVINE· R.S. O'FAHEY K.R. VEENHOF · C.H.M. VERSTEEGH FUNFUNDDREISSIGSTER BAND ANCIENT JEWISH ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE DIASPORA ANCIENT JEWISH ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE DIASPORA BY RACHEL HACHLILI BRILL LEIDEN · BOSTON · KOLN 1998 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hachlili, Rachel. Ancient Jewish art and archacolocy in the diaspora / hy Rachel Hachlili. p. cm. - (Handbuch dcr Orientalistik. Erste Ahtcilung, Der Nahe und Mittlcrc Osten. ISSN 0169-9423; 35. Bd. = Handbook of Oriental studies. The Near and Middle Eastj Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9004108785 (doth : alk. paper) I. Synagogue architecture-History. 2. Synagogue art-History. 3.Jewish art and symbolism-History. 4. Synagogue art-Syria-Dura -Europos (Extinct city) 5. Art, Ancient. I. Title. II. Series: Handbuch der Oricntalistik. Erste Abtcilun~, Der Nahc und Mittlcre Osten ; 35. Bd. NA4690.H28 1998 704.03'92403-dc2 l 97-28225 GIP Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnalnne Handbuch dcr O1icntalistik / hrsg. van B. Spuler untcr Mitarb. von C. van Dijk ... Leiden : New York ; Koln : Brill. rcilw. hng. von H. i\hemnullcr. Litcraturangabcn. Tcilw. hrsg. ,. on Il. Spu• lcr. Teilw. mit Paralldt.; Handbook of oriental studies Abt. I, Der Nahe und Mittlere Osten = The Near and Middle East/ hrsg. von H. Altenmi.iller ... NE: Spuler, Bcrlold [Hrsg.J; Altcnmlillcr, Hartwig [Hrsg.J; Handbook of oriental srndics Bd. 35. Hachlili. Rachel: Ancientjc\\~sh art and archaeology in the diaspora. - 1998 Hachlili, Rachel: AacicntJewish art and archaeology in the diaspora. / by Rachel Hachlili. - Leiden ; Boston , Kola : Brill, 1998 (H~ndbuch da Oricnlalistik : Abt. I, Der Nahc und Miulcrc Osten Bd. 3.'i ISDN 90-04-10878-.'i ISSN 0169-9423 ISBN 90 04 10878 5 © Copyrigh1t 998 by KoninklijkeB rill NV, Leiden. 77ze.N etherland1 All n.ghtsr eservedN. o part of this p11hlicatiomna y be rrproducedtr, anslateds, tored tll a retneval. <y.<lnonr, trammittedm anyf arm or ~v any means. eleciron1c, mechanirnJl.1 ftotocopyinrge,c ordingo r othenmse1. citlwllJt 1riour m/ten permissiofnro m thep ublisher. Autlwriz:_atitoo1 p1h otocopyit emsf ar internalo rp ersonalu se is gran!Rdb y KoninklijkeB rill providedth at thea ppropriafteee s arep aid direct[yto 771eC opyri!!,Chll earance Center,2 2 2 RosewoodD rive. Suite9 10. Danveris\ L4 0192 3. USA. F'ee.a<r es u~jectt o change. l'Rl'.',;TED E\ THI·'. ~ETHERIA'.',;l)S IN MEMORY OF MY BETDVFD PARENTS ABRAHAM (ARTUR) AND FRIEDA WEICHSELBAUM CONTENTS List of Figures . . . . . .. . .. . .. .. . . . . . . .. . .. . .. .. . . . . . . ... ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . ... . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . xii List of Plates ... .. ... ... .. . .. .. . .. .. ... . .. ... .. . .. .. ... . ... .. .. ... .. . .. . .. .. . .. . ... .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. xx1 List of Colo red Plates........................................................................................... xxv11 Foreword................................................................................................................. xx1x 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 Build- ings .............................................................................................................. 44 Elche ........................................................................................................... 45 Hammam-Lif .. ...... ... .......... ... ... ........... ..... ..... ... .......... ... ... ... ........................ 4 7 Lepcis Magna .......... ........ ..... ... ........ ... ... .. . ....... ... ..... ........ ... ........................ 49 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 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 & Influences................................................................. 190 F Conclusions ..... ......... ........... ... .. ........ ................... ... ................ .. ... ........ ....... ... . 193 CHAPTER N SYNAGOGUE ART: MOSAIC PAVEMENTS ................................. 198 A The Mosaic Pavements ................................................................................. 198 Aegina ....................................................................................................... 198 Apamea ..................................................................................................... 198 Bova Marina . . .. . .. ... ... . . . . . .. . .. ... .. . . . ... ... .. . . . .. . ... .. .. . . . . . . .. . ... .. .. . . . . . . .. . ... .. . . . .. . .. . .. 204 Eiche ......................................................................................................... 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 Vlll 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