Early Christian Mosaics

Hadrianopolis is a site located on the principal western route from the Central Anatolian plain through the mountains to Bartın and the Black Sea, 3 km west of the modern town of Eskipazar, near Karabük, in what was in Roman times southwestern Paphlagonia (modern northwestern central Turkey). This site was a small but important city, controlling this major route and dominating a rich agricultural and especially vinicultural enclave on the borders between Paphlagonia, Bithynia and Galatia. Between 2005 and 2008, four survey, excavation and restoration campaigns were conducted at this Roman and early Byzantine site by Dokuz Eylül University in Izmir. As a result of the 2005 surveys of the area, it was confi rmed that Hadrianopolis was indeed coincident with Viranşehir, which is located c. 3 km west of modern Eskipazar and was active between the 1st cent. BC. and the 8th cent. AD. The fi eld surveys in 2005 identifi ed the remains of at least 24 buildings at the site. Among them are two bath buildings, two basilicas, a domus, an apsidal building, a fortifi ed structure of the Byzantine period, a possible theatre, a vaulted building, a domed building and some domestic buildings, most of which were paved with extensive mosaic floors. Following the publication of the inscriptions (Hadrianopolis I), glass (Hadrianopolis II), and pottery fi nds (Hadrianopolis III), the present volume IV of this multi-volume report is devoted to the early Byzantine mosaics and frescoes from this site, which have been dated mainly to the 6th and 7th cent. AD. The main find spots for mosaics and frescoes are Baths A, Baths B, Basilica A, Basilica B, the Apsidal Building and the Domus. One of the most remarkable discoveries was undoubtedly the floor mosaic of the nave of Basilica B, which displays personifi cations of the Four Rivers of Paradise: Euphrates, Tigris, Phison and Geon.

Antik Dönem Hellen sanatında deniz ve nehir tanrıları önemli bir yer tutar.
Bu tanrı ve tanrıçalar ile ilgili sahneler, Roma Dönemi mozaiklerinde sevilerek konu edinilmiştir. Antiokheia ad Orontes ve Zeugma kentleri zemin mozaiklerinde Okeanos ve Tethys ile ilgili sahnelere rastlamaktayız. Hem bir deniz tanrısı olarak kabul edilen hem de yeryüzünü dört bir yandan saran bir nehir olduğuna inanılan Okeanos bir titandır. Onun eşi Tethys ise denizin verimliliğini simgeler ve bu figürün geç tarihli tasvirlerine Thalassa adı da verilir. Hellen mitolojisine göre Okeanos ve Tethys’in birleşmesinden binlerce nehir doğmuştur. Roma Dönemi ile birlikte deniz ve nehir tanrıları ikonografisi sanatta belirginleşir ve standart bir betimleme tarzına kavuşur. Bu tipik betimleme anlayışı zemin mozaiklerinde rahatlıkla takip edilebilmektedir.

Multiple connections between the Damascus mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem; implications of the size of the surface area covered in mosaic; links with classical, early Christian, Byzantine and other Umayyad mosaics, and with the art of pre-Islamic Arabia; the meaning and iconography of the Damascus mosaics; originality of the Damascus mosque; problems and pitfalls in the interpretation of the Damascus mosaics; their originality and their place in late antique art; Qur'anic inscriptions on high buildings, gardens and rivers; the theme of paradise; the uses of colour in the Damascus mosaics; the karma.

WHO IS THE CIVIL DIGNITARY ON THE MOSAIC OF THE DONORS IN THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIOS IN THESSALONIKI?

This paper focuses on the analysis of the insignia, the portrait and the so-called square nimbus in order to clarify the identity of the anonymous civil dignitary depicted in the famous 7th century mosaic of the donors in the church of St Demetrios in Thessaloniki. It is argued that he is not (as often supposed) the founder of the church, the praetorian prefect of Illyricum Leontios, but rather a contemporary donor of the mid-7th century who contributed to the rebuilding of the church after a fire damaged the building about 620/30. His garment and his insignia do not fit to those of a praetorian prefect but most likely represent the highest senatorial dignity in the 7th century, namely that of an honorary consul (ἀπὸ ὑπάτων or ὕπατος). This does not exclude the possibility that he did hold the office of the prefect of eastern Illyricum (respectively of Thessaloniki) as well. The mentioning of the name Leo in the mosaic inscription pertaining to the rebuilding after the fire follows a common epigraphic habit in building inscriptions that refers to the authority responsible to approve the execution of the project. This Leo is often assumed to be the same person as the civil dignitary. Although this conclusion is generally possible it has to remain hypothetical.

The late Antique mosaic of Orpheus decorated a small room, approximately 18 m2 in area, connected with two even smaller ones, in 4 m2 and the other 2 m2 in area, belonging most likely to a small funerary chapel (or tomb) discovered in the ancient necropolis by the Damascene Gate in Jerusalem; it was discovered in 1901 by H. Vincent.
The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographic program of the Orpheus myth used by wealthy Christians in a sepulchral context (see Olszewski M.T. «Orphée endeuillé de la mosaïque funéraire de Jérusalem», in Rey Mimoso-Ruiz, B. ed., Actes du colloque «Orphée entre Soleil et ombre», à l’Institut Catholique de Toulouse du 16 au 17 novembre 2007, Inter Lignes, numéros spécial – mars 2008, pp. 205-214, 226). He also proposes a new interpretation of the role Orpheus played in Roman funerary art, concentrating on the importance of the play on words and the visual and textual punning that was popular in ancient art and especially in funerary art. He rejects the popular interpretation of Orpheus as Christ in the Roman catacombs and proposes to interpret the image as that of Orpheus, bard of the departed souls, without any ahistorical connection with Christ. The program of the mosaic from Jerusalem is thus explained as a play on the words Orpheus-orphanos and Chiron (Chi-Rho) and Pan [Παν(τοκράτωρ)].The frequently used Christian funerary formula of resting in peace, Christ or the Lord corresponds
perfectly with the mood created around the mythical bard.
Orpheus’ universal role as singer and musician moving even the most stony of hearts, extolling the beloved departed, is absolutely justified in the context of a 6th-century Christian tomb. Orpheus is a popular and neutral figure, meaning that in effect it does not constitute a threat to Christian theology and can be tolerated by the educated Christians of Jerusalem.

More than 20 years after presenting his first interpretation of the mosaic from the House of Aion in a paper entitled “Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr)” (Meander 9/10, 1987, p. 421-438, in Polish, and translated to English: « The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory [in Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from the “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus]»), where he proposed reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis, the author now enhances his initial interpretation with numerous reflections concerning the historical context of this work of art, created in the years 320-360.
If, according to the author, the mosaic is a “Hymn” in honour of the pagan gods, Man (his soul) and his place in the (pagan) universe, then at the same time it polemicises with the Christian faith and its God, Jesus Christ.
The author puts forward numerous new solutions relating to the mosaic’s iconography and iconology. Analysis of the mosaic also leads him to propose a solution to the as-yet unanswered question regarding the absence of images of the crucified Christ in Christian art of the 3rd and 4th centuries, up until 420/430, when the first images of Christ on the cross appear.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
1. Research to-date (recap)
2. Description of mosaic (recap)
2.1. Composition of five mythological scenes
2.2. Brief iconographic description of mythological panels
2.3. Outline of individual iconographic elements and their respective roles
2.4. The pagan gods’ air of majesty and dignity as an expression of piety
3. A few words about the pagan reaction
4. An apology of pious human life according to pagan principles and a polemic on the Christian model of Man and his theological idol, Jesus Christ
4.1. Divine intervention in the act of human conception (allusion to/polemic on the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary)
4.2. The Epiphany of Dionysus (an allusion to the Epiphany of Christ – Theou Pais)
4.3. The procession and dissemination of Dionysian order (allusion to/polemic on Christ’s entry into Jerusalem)
4.4. The error of Marsyas (polemic on/allusion to the error of Jesus the Messiah): arrest, sentencing for arrogance and lack of piety (asebeia) and condemnation to a martyr’s death
4.5. The anabasis (or anagoge psyches) of a ‘beautiful soul’ (allusion to/polemic on the Ascension of Christ)
5. A few words on the mosaic programme prior to final conclusions
Final conclusions

Aus dem reichen Bildbestand des Fußboden-Mosaiks der Basilika von Aquileia sticht das Motiv der Begegnung von Hahn und Schildkröte aufgrund seiner im Kontext einer christlichen Basilika ungewöhnlichen Figurenkonstellation heraus. Zur Interpretation des Mosaiks wird im vorliegenden Beitrag auf das Konzept der Dichten Beschreibung des Kultur-Anthropologen C. Geertz zurückgegriffen. Als kultursemiotischer Ansatz steht hierbei die Interaktion von Elementen eines Überlieferungszusammenhangs im Mittelpunkt. Geschichte wird hierbei als Transformationsprozess verstanden, in dem das Alte langsam in das Neue übergeht, ohne vollständig dahinter zu verschwinden. Mit diesem Ansatz wird gezeigt, wie sich bisherige Interpretationen dekonstruieren lassen und bekanntes Wissen unter einem neuen Blickwinkel zu neuen Erkenntnissen führt.

..........

From the rich abundance of floor mosaics of the basilica in Aquileia the motif 'Encounter of Rooster and Tortoise' stands out as an unlikely combination of figures in context of a christian basilica. For an interpretation the author turns to the concept of Thick Description by cultural anthropologist C. Geertz. As an approach of cultural semiotic nature, it centers around the interaction of elements in a historical tradition. History is hereby seen as a process of transformation in which the old transmutes into the new without fully disappearing. Using this approach the author shows how existing interpretations of the mosaic can be deconstructed and established knowledge can be viewed under a new perspective to create new insights.

"Entendiendo el arte como una manifestación de la actividad del ser humano, enmarcada en el tiempo y lugar en que se lleva a cabo y con una finalidad comunicativa con diversos propósitos, el Arte Paleocristiano engloba todas aquellas expresiones artísticas que se dieron allá donde el Cristianismo Primitivo, el cristianismo de los primeros siglos de nuestra era, tuvo presencia."

*****

"Understanding art as a manifestation of the activity of the human being, framed in the time and place in which it is carried out and with a communicative purpose for various purposes, the Paleochristian Art encompasses all those artistic expressions that occurred there where Early Christianity, Christianity of the first centuries of our era, had a presence. "

Los 11 conjuntos eclesiales de la Antigüedad Tardía en el archipiélago balear.
LAGARDA MATA, Ferran (2012). Las Basílicas Paleocristianas de las Baleares.
Sobradiel: 2012.
232 Pàgines A4 amb 237 Il·lustracions en color i B/N. Idioma: Castellano. PVP: 50,00 €
ISBN: 9788496810242

John Cabot University’s Master of Arts (MA) in Art History fosters professional mastery of the materials and methods of art history with emphasis on first-hand research in the museums, monuments, and archaeological sites of Rome. The degree can be completed in approximately fifteen months of full-time study.

The program has a dual focus: the acquisition of technical skills for primary research; and the analysis of visual cultures of Rome and the Mediterranean from antiquity to the present, with critical perspectives on their worldwide impact. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, John Cabot University's MA is the first US-accredited graduate degree program in art history taught entirely in Rome.

Applications are currently begin accepted for Fall 2018. Application deadlines:
° Late Decision I: June 1st
° Late Decision II: July 31st (available only to applicants who do not require a visa to study in Italy)

To apply: http://www.johncabot.edu/master-art-history/default.aspx
For further information: graduateadmissions@johncabot.edu

El llamado mausoleo de Gala Placidia es un monumento ubicado en Rávena, a caballo entre el arte paleocristiano y el arte bizantino. Sobre él todo es discutido: la datación exacta, la función original, incluso que fuera construido por Gala Placidia. Lo más relevante son los mosaicos que recubren el espacio interior, unos figurativos y otros de carácter más abstracto; prácticamente todos ellos han recibido múltiples interpretaciones, unas complementarias y otras contradictorias, que iremos presentando y estudiando.

Palabras clave: Gala Placidia, mausoleo, Rávena, mosaicos, iconografía cristiana

The Routledge Handbook of Early Christian Art surveys a broad spectrum of Christian art produced from the late second to the sixth centuries. The first part of the book opens with a general survey of the subject and then presents fifteen essays that discuss specific media of visual art—catacomb paintings, sculpture, mosaics, gold glass, gems, reliquaries, ceramics, icons, ivories, textiles, silver, and illuminated manuscripts. Each is written by a noted expert in the field. The second part of the book takes up themes relevant to the study of early Christian art. These seven chapters consider the ritual practices in decorated spaces, the emergence of images of Christ’s Passion and miracles, the functions of Christian secular portraits, the exemplary mosaics of Ravenna, the early modern history of Christian art and archaeology studies, and further reflection on this field called “early Christian art.” Each of the volume’s chapters includes photographs of many of the objects discussed,...

The survey discusses wall- and vault mosaics (Centcelles, Rotunda Thessaloniki), floor mosaics (Aquileia, Madaba, Petra), paintings, textiles, sculpture, sumptuary arts (silver, ivory), iconographical themes (martyrs, Christ, baptism, crucifixion), etc.

""Dozens of mosaic floors were discovered in excavations conducted in Tiberias and its southern suburb, Hammat Tiberias, from the early 20th century to the present. These mosaics adorned the floors of both public and private buildings, synagogues and churches; dating from the third through the mid eighth centuries. At present the mosaics from these sites have mostly remained outside of academic debate, due to their poorly preserved state and a lack of comprehensive research.

This work is a compilation of all available material regarding the mosaics from Tiberias and Hammat Tiberias, thereby creating a database able to serve current and future studies of the mosaics from this region of the Galilee. The group of mosaics considered here is important in that all were found within a small geographic region, dating from an extended period of time, which parallels the lifespan of the ancient city, thus providing insights into the development of the city's urban aesthetic. The study is facilitated by an analysis of stylistic and technical aspects on the one hand, and the architectural contexts of the mosaics on the other.

The compositions of the mosaic floors reflect prevalent fashions, belonging for the most part to the allover carpet style, incorporating figurative, floral and geometric patterns. The origin of allover carpet design may be found in the Roman mosaics of North Africa, in conjunction with local eastern traditions, especially from Antioch. The majority of mosaics from Tiberias and Hammat Tiberias are decorated by an infinitely repetitive floral or geometric pattern, covering the entire floor surface. Sometimes this consists of a single pattern, but the carpet also may be enhanced by secondary floral or figurative motifs, as in a border surrounding the central, major theme. This tradition is characteristic of the Byzantine period, and carries over into the Early Islamic period as well. Additional reoccurring compositions found in the mosaics are grid patterns created by schematic flower buds or inhabited scrolls, which are in essence a geometricized floral motif. In a number of cases, figures are strewn over a plain white background, disregarding naturalistic landscapes, their depictions resulting in a flat, two-dimensional effect. Narrative scenes and heraldic compositions usually appear within separate frames, creating pseudo-emblemata, as for example, in the nave of the Phase IIa Synagogue at Hammat Tiberias.

The iconography appearing in the mosaics of Tiberias is familiar from other sites in the region; these include themes such as: Nilotic scenes; Christian symbols (especially crosses); Jewish symbols (menorot, shofarot, bundles of the four species, architectural façades/book shrines, and incense shovels); Helios accompanied by the zodiac and the seasons of the year, and wreathes bearing inscriptions. The inhabited scrolls contain hunt and chase scenes as well as solitary animals and inanimate objects, which are unlikely to bear religious symbolism, since the majority have been found in buildings of a secular nature. The first known appearance of the combined motifs of Helios, the zodiac, and the seasons, is in the Phase IIa Synagogue at Hammat Tiberias. Far reaching assumptions cannot be made regarding later depictions of this iconography, but it is nonetheless of utmost importance that the earliest example is in the synagogue of Hammat Tiberias, which was patronized by associates of the Jewish Patriarchate, residing in Tiberias at that time.

Differences are evident in the stylization of motifs depicted in the mosaic floors.  Stylistic variations may occur among several floors within a single building, or may also appear within a single floor. These discrepancies may result from chronological differences in the construction of rooms within a building, consequently reflecting changing stylistic trends.  Another possibility is that different stylistic approaches may be the product of more than one artist employed in the laying of a single, or multiple floors.

The technical aspects of the mosaic art are made clear by a survey of the raw materials (local stone, imported marble and glass) used by the artisans. Likewise, the quality of the workmanship may often be defined by the density of mosaic stones per square decimeter; the higher the density, the higher the resolution of the image depicted. It may be seen that figures and complicated floral or geometric motifs often contain a higher count of stones than the simpler motifs or plain white backgrounds. In the current state of research, it is not possible to distinguish any particular workshop functioning in Tiberias during any given period. Stylistic differences in a single floor may be explained by the simultaneous work of two mosaicists, likely a master and his apprentice.

The final part of the work presents the mosaics within their architectural contexts. This aspect of the research is extremely important, since it may teach us about the hierarchy of the rooms within a building, thus better an understanding of the functions of the building as a whole. For instance, in a building containing both simple geometric carpets alongside intricate figurative motifs, it may be assumed that the rooms containing the figurative motifs are of greater importance than those paved by the simple carpets. Furthermore, the interpretation of the architectural spaces may be enhanced by an understanding of the mosaic floors. Conversely, the mosaic compositions may be more clearly understood by accurate identification of the spaces.

The compilation of all available material and the examination of the mosaics (both individually and as a group), in comparison with similar mosaics from the Galilee, as well as      from the greater Mediterranean region, have for the first time, brought the Tiberian mosaics to light, emphasizing their importance and creating a base of knowledge for future research of mosaics, locally and throughout the ancient world. 
""

“Mary and Early Christian Women is a great leap forward in Marian studies, and in peeling away layers of deliberate patriarchal obfuscation. A remarkable achievement!”
- Mary Ann Beavis, Department Head, Religion and Culture, St. Thomas More College, Canada

“Mary and Early Christian Women draws back the veil on the earliest representations of the Virgin Mary and her sister saints in both narrative and visual art to reveal a tradition in which women served alongside men as prayer-leaders, preachers, and baptizers. Exemplary in its attention to detail, this book raises potentially shattering questions about the role of women in the early Church.”
- Rachel Fulton Brown, author of Mary and the Art of Prayer: The Hours of the Virgin in Medieval Christian Life and Thought, Associate Professor of History, The University of Chicago

“Commanding and explaining dozens of visual images never seen together before, Ally Kateusz provides a depth, breadth, and technical detail that will need years to appreciate and understand fully.  This visual material, alongside some important texts, opens major paths to dramatically valorize women protagonists in the crucial eras after the first two centuries.”
- Hal Taussig, Professor of New Testament (retired), Union Theological Seminary, USA

“Using numerous tables of textual comparisons and illustrations, Ally Kateusz shows what rapidly becomes obvious.  Women did what men did: teaching, leading worship, baptising.  They were apostles, priests and bishops.  She concentrates on Mary the Mother of Jesus, and the evidence in texts and images for her as a leader, teacher and high priest in the early Church. The case is set out clearly and the evidence is meticulously presented.  This is a brilliant book, a landmark.” 
- Margaret Barker, author of The Mother of the Lord: The Lady in the Temple

“Dr. Kateusz provides irrefutable proof of women taking part in early church ministries.”
- John Wijngaards, author of Women Deacons in the Early Church: Historical Texts and Contemporary Debates

60 illustrations.

Key words: women apostles, women priests; early Christian art

Sundials in Roman and Byzantine Mosaics (1st – 9th Century AD). A scientific monograph. The sundials on ancient mosaics have not been the subject of scientific studies so far. The author has gathered together  in this  publication  the sundials  already known (Torre Anunzaiata, Sarsina, Trier, Saint-Romain-en-Gal, Antioch and Brading; Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9) and those which have  not  previously  been  identified.  Thanks  to  the author’s  new  identifcations,  the  catalogue  has  been enlarged  by  six  new  sundials (Grand,Tarsus, Antiochia – interpreted by H. Pamir; Figs.  3, 6,  8, and 10. Tayibat al-Imam, Jerusalem and Umm al-Rasas (Sebastis); Figs. 10, 11, 12) and three monumental gnomes-columns with multiple functions that were used as monumental sundials [Madaba (Jerusalem), Umm al-Rasas (Kastron Mefaa) and Rome (Jerusalem); Figs. 13–15]. In addition, recognizing fully John H. Humphrey’s  interpretations,  the  author  enriches  the catalogue  by  eight  ancient  mosaic  representations  of obelisks in  circuses (Lyon, Barcelona, Volubilis, Piazza Armerina - two mosaics, Girona, Carthage and Gafsa; Figs.  16–23).  They  performed the roles of monumental sundials. In this way, the catalogue includes  twenty-three  mosaics with  the representations of sundials. They come from the Western and Eastern Provinces of the Roman Empire. The first mosaic is dated to the beginning of the 1st century AD and the last dates to the 9th century AD. The author, after  a  short  description  of each monument,  summarizes the issue discussing the role of sundials in Roman and Byzantine society, their complex signifcance and symbolic dificult linked with the progress of time on which nature and human life are dependent. See Pdf : https://www.academia.edu/22653583/

More than 20 years after presenting his first interpretation of the mosaic from the House of Aion in a paper entitled “Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr)” (Meander 9/10, 1987, p. 421-438, in Polish, and translated to English: « The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory [in Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from the “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus]»), where he proposed reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis, the author now enhances his initial interpretation with numerous reflections concerning the historical context of this work of art, created in the years 320-360.
If, according to the author, the mosaic is a “Hymn” in honour of the pagan gods, Man (his soul) and his place in the (pagan) universe, then at the same time it polemicises with the Christian faith and its God, Jesus Christ.
The author puts forward numerous new solutions relating to the mosaic’s iconography and iconology. Analysis of the mosaic also leads him to propose a solution to the as-yet unanswered question regarding the absence of images of the crucified Christ in Christian art of the 3rd and 4th centuries, up until 420/430, when the first images of Christ on the cross appear.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
1. Research to-date (recap)
2. Description of mosaic (recap)
2.1. Composition of five mythological scenes
2.2. Brief iconographic description of mythological panels
2.3. Outline of individual iconographic elements and their respective roles
2.4. The pagan gods’ air of majesty and dignity as an expression of piety
3. A few words about the pagan reaction
4. An apology of pious human life according to pagan principles and a polemic on the Christian model of Man and his theological idol, Jesus Christ
4.1. Divine intervention in the act of human conception (allusion to/polemic on the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary)
4.2. The Epiphany of Dionysus (an allusion to the Epiphany of Christ – Theou Pais)
4.3. The procession and dissemination of Dionysian order (allusion to/polemic on Christ’s entry into Jerusalem)
4.4. The error of Marsyas (polemic on/allusion to the error of Jesus the Messiah): arrest, sentencing for arrogance and lack of piety (asebeia) and condemnation to a martyr’s death
4.5. The anabasis (or anagoge psyches) of a ‘beautiful soul’ (allusion to/polemic on the Ascension of Christ)
5. A few words on the mosaic programme prior to final conclusions
Final conclusions
Key words: mythological mosaic, House of Aion, Nea Paphos, Late Antiquity, Roman art, allegorical narrative, allusive language of mythological pictures, wordplay (Marsyas-Messias), Jesus Christ, anti-Christian polemic, Dionysos, Cassiopeia, Apollon, Nereides, Abstract Personifications, Greek Mythology, ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

"This paper proposes three new (and tentatively, another two) identifications of sundials in Middle Eastern mosaics of the 5th – 8th century. The author discusses a vignette from the Holy Martyrs’ Church at Tayibat al-Imâm, central Syria, a mosaic panel from the tomb of Georgia and Theodosia in Jerusalem, two
vignettes of Sebastis and Kastron Mefaa from the St. Stephan’s Church at Umm al-Rasas, and a vignette of Jerusalem from the St. George’s Church at Madaba. These mosaics date, respectively, to 442, to the reign of Justinian (527 –565), and to the Byzantine Umayyad era (718). According to the author, these are probably the latest representations of sundials known to date from the Late Antiquity. Until this study, only six representations of sundials on mosaics from the Roman period were known. This paper adds three new items and two hypothetical ones from Byzantine times. It also offers an interpretation of the function of the famous column in Jerusalem, shown on the map of Madaba and the mega-vignette of the Holy City.
Key words: Sundials, Sonnenhuhren, Meridiane, Cadrans solaires, Relojes de sol."