World’s Oldest Mosaics Of Biblical Jonah And The Whale Discovered

AncientPages.com - Depictions of Biblical prophet Jonah have been found in “early” Christian art, such as images found in the Roman catacombs.

Now, archaeologists report they have discovered world’s oldest mosaic depicting scenes from the Biblical story Jonah and the Whale.  The uncovered unique mosaics depict Biblical scenes in ways never seen before.

A fish swallows an Egyptian soldier in a mosaic scene depicting the splitting of the Red Sea from the Exodus story, from the 5th-century synagogue at Huqoq, in northern Israel. (Jim Haberman/University of North Carolina Chapel Hill)

The beautiful mosaic was found at the synagogue at Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village in Israel’s Lower Galilee.

The panel was exposed by a team led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In the mosaic, Jonah’s legs are shown dangling from the mouth of a large fish, which is being swallowed by a larger fish, which is being consumed by a third, even larger fish.

According to Professor Magness, “The Huqoq mosaics are unusually rich and diverse. In addition, they display variations on biblical stories which must represent oral traditions that circulated among the local Jewish population.”

Scientists think this is a depiction of Alexander The Great. Image credit: Mark Thiessen, National Geographic

During the excavations, archaeologists also discovered a mosaic depicting a Greek military commander with blond hair, wearing a regal purple attire and a diadem. Researchers think this is a depiction of Alexander the Great who is meeting a white-bearded man clad in white robes. If so, this would correspond to a story told in the Talmud (Yoma 69a) which describes the dramatic meeting between the high priest, Simon the Just, and Alexander the Great at the gates of Jerusalem.

Part of the Samson mosaic discovered at at a synagogue in Huqoq.

Biblical Samson

See also:

Stunning Madaba Map: Oldest Known Mosaic Built Of Two Million Stone Cubes

1,700-Year-Old Roman Villa, Beautiful Mosaics, Coins Unearthed In Ancient Roman Port Of Ptolemais

Mosaics With Oceanus And Medusa In Tomb Of Ancient City Of Perge, Turkey

Another interesting panel depicts the Greco-Roman sun god Helios in a quadriga, a four-horse chariot, surrounded by personifications of the months and the signs of the zodiac, contained within a square frame with personifications of the four seasons in the corners.

This Huqoq synagogue mosaic in Lower Galilee depicts men at work constructing a stone tower, apparently the Tower of Babel. (Jim Haberman UNC Media Relations)

Not to be forgotten is also the discovery of the southernmost panel that contains a detailed scene of men at work constructing a stone structure, apparently the Tower of Babel.

The Huqoq mosaics are incredible and offer valuable information about Biblical stories, mythology and ancient history.

“One of the distinguishing features of the Huqoq mosaics is the incorporation of numerous classical elements such as putti, winged personifications of the seasons, and — in the Jonah scene — harpies (large birds with female heads and torsos representing storm winds),” Professor Magness said.

“The mosaics also provide a great deal of information about ancient daily life, such as the construction techniques shown in the Tower of Babel scene uncovered this summer.”

The mosaics have been removed from the site for conservation. Excavations are scheduled to continue through summer 2018.

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