I loved seeing mosaics in Israel.
Israel was a rocky, stony place for many years–though once it was a land flowing in milk and honey.
(Author Doug Hershey does a fine job of showing the contrasts in his two books)
In 2023, the mosaics in Israel charmed me, time and again, no matter where they turned up.
Which was everywhere: in both ancient locales and in everyday life.
One researcher claims more than 7000 ancient mosaics dot the landscape.
What are mosaics?
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small pieces of colored stone, glass, or ceramic, held in place by mortar, and covering a surface.
Made of small stones, they work well for floors. The first mosaics date to 3000 BC.
The Romans introduced mosaics in Israel about the time of Herod the Great, obviously using the material at hand.
Wealthy worshippers often hired mosaic artists to portray Bible stories in early churches.
(The stories can be from both Old Testament and New. Here’s a story about Samson depicted in a mosaic.).
Patrons typically paid artists well. In early Roman times, a mosaic team manager earned 150 dinars a day. (A ship’s carpenter earned only 60 dinars. A live chicken cost 30 dinars.)
Because they’re made of durable materials, many have lasted for . . . 5000 years!
What do they depict?
A variety of things. Here are samples of what I personally saw (and photographed–note the foot on the left).
I took this photo in Jericho, but a Google lens search tells me it’s a copy of a Byzantine mosaic floor map in Jordan.
It wasn’t far from the mosaic explanation below (which must be more modern since it’s in English!) and the traditional “Tree of Life” mosaic.
You hated to step on artwork whenever it was placed!
Beit She’an
Traveling on a tour was a new experience for us. We’ve always been independent travelers and I’m usually the one who plots the trip.
But for the Israel visit, while I knew where we were going, I didn’t pay close attention to details. All we had to do was get up in the morning, get dressed, eat breakfast, and arrive at the bus on time.
I knew we’d learn more when we arrived and took our tour.
Even so, I was surprised at Beit She’an.
Located several kilometers south of the Sea of Galilee, I marveled at what I took to be Roman fixtures.
They were, but then someone casually asked. “Where’s the wall where the Philistines hung King Saul and his sons’ bodies?”
(Red arrow is points to the wall’s ruins).
The ancient site also had plenty of mosaics!
More Modern Mosaics in Israel
What’s worked well in the past, also works in the present.
We saw mosaic maps inlaid in walkways pointing us in the right direction.
Walking through Jerusalem’s old town in the art district, I saw mosaic store fronts
In Bethlehem, we followed a mosaic map from the Basilica of the Nativity to the Grotto of the Virgin Mary.
(You could tell it was modern since the words were in English!)
What difference did it make?
The modern depictions were charming.
The ancient mosaics?
Astonishing.
People walked on those stone artworks in antiquity–and you can still admire their work.
Artists also used mosaic to depict traditional sites.
I particularly liked this one–at the basilica (church built over a religious site) where Jesus . . . did what?
The images are the clue.
Tweetables
How old are the mosaics in Israel? Click to Tweet
Stepping on and reflecting on mosaics in Israel. Click to Tweet
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