New discoveries in mosaics in the territory under Palestinian Authority (original) (raw)
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Preservation and Study of Mosaic Pavements in the Gaza Territory
Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - Aix-Marseille Université, 2016
This publication has been produced within the framework of the Italian-Palestinian PMSP project "Advanced heritage conservation training in East Jerusalem" EJE CH 080 14. Responsibility for the information and views set out in it lies entirely with the authors.
The case of the North-West Church in Hippos-Sussita, Israel represents an excellent example of practical and scholarly cooperation of archaeologists and conservators working simultaneously on an archeological site with mosaic floors. The exploration of the church began in 2000 and was completed by 2009. Mosaic floors have been revealed in the nave of the church, the aisles and accompanying rooms of the church complex. Very specific characteristics of the site, the project and local conditions entailed and revealed a wide range of conservation issues and problems of logistical and technical nature. Time for conservation interventions was limited to a four week season of archaeological works. The acts of discovery were immediately followed by conservation treatments. Since the site is not yet open to the public and was being abandoned for 11 months of the year, all discovered mosaics had to be thoroughly protected for this period of time from environmental factors as well as a large number of curious sightseers visiting the area on their own. A significant contribution to this project was the documentation of the state of preservation of the mosaics, the techniques of execution as well as their iconographical traits. Prepared with the application of advanced digital methods, it turned out to be essential for the understanding of relative chronology of the mosaics and the history of the whole North-West Church complex. Since the exploration is completed, the church requires a long scale plan of managing and a permanent exhibition of the mosaics to the public in their architectural context which would allow them to speak on the site’s history.
The sixth-century mosaic floor of the church of saints Cosmas and Damianus was first unearthed by Yale University in 1929. Since then, it has been exposed to the elements, which nourished the growth of algae, mosses and lichens, affecting both the aesthetic value and the state of the mosaics. During conservation work conducted in 2005, the careful study of the mosaics revealed several intervention and conservation methods applied to them from approximately the seventh to the 21" century. The paper will discuss the different conversations the mosaic floor has undergone. Namely, the causes and the effects of each of the interventions, which show the chronological evolution of mosaic restoration through time, the technologies and materials used, and the process of identifying, mapping and documenting these interventions.
The Conservation of the Mosaic Floor of Swaifieh Church, Amman, Jordan
2019
This paper aims to describe the conservation of the mosaic floor of the Swaifieh church in Jordan, which is one of the few remaining byzantine mosaics in Amman region. The mosaic was discovered in 1970. Since then the mosaic floor has been exposed to the different deterioration forms such as lacunae, incrustation, depressions, swelling, detachment between preparatory layers, salt efflorescence, and biological activity. The study confirms that it is necessary to conserve the mosaic floor in order to avoid further damage. The conservation activities carried out on the mosaic floor included documenting the mosaic by photographs and drawings, replacement the cement from lacunae and filling lime mortar, consolidating the mosaic edges and the preparatory layers with lime mortar, mechanical cleaning and replacement of the old shelter plates with new one to avoid rainwater from reaching inside the building.
The Mosaic Floors of the Church at Hazor-Ashdod, Israel
Journal of Mosaic Research, 2020
A basilica has been found in Hazor-Ashdod, with a narthex in the west and a hall attached on the north side. The eastern part has not survived, but a capital of an altar table leg has been found, not in situ. The complex is decorated with mosaic floors, and each part of the building is decorated with a different pattern. The dedicatory inscriptions on the mosaic floors date completion of the mosaic floor in the northern hall to 506/507 CE, and completion of the basilica floor to 512 CE. The nave of the basilica is emphasized by the choice of a vine scroll pattern, populated by inanimate objects, animals, and birds. The carpet is dynamic, rich and crowded with motifs. By contrast, the aisles, the intercolumnars, and the northern hall are decorated with geometric carpets.
The Revival of Palestinian Mosaic Art Through People and Tesserae
Palestinian Mosaic Art Comparing Experiences - Proceedings Palestinian Mosaic Art International Conference , 2017
The paper is a quick overview of the revival of Mosaic art in Palestine through the people who participated and give their assistance along the years. It is for me an opportunity to reflect on the results obtained in more than 16 years of training, about successes and failures, and a way to remember the contribution of friends who have left us in the meanwhile, prof. Michele Piccirillo, mosaicist Rasmi Al Shaer and prof. Pietro Kaswalder, leaving a vivid memory and push to continue our efforts
Appendix: A figural mosaic in the synagogue at Khirbet Wadi Hamam
Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2010
The floor of the synagogue is decorated with a magnificent mosaic, one of the few discovered to date in synagogues of 'Galilean' type. 1 The mosaic was already severely damaged in antiquity and large portions of the N and W aisles were replaced with a simple plaster floor. The portions of the mosaic that survived in these aisles were not covered over but instead incorporated into the later floor, leaving 'islands' of mosaic in the plaster. It appears that at the time of the renovation the community lacked the means to repair or replace the mosaic, but the remains, although badly damaged, were considered sufficiently important to be preserved as far as possible. No other such instances of ancient preservation of synagogue mosaics are known to date. No trace of a plaster floor was found in the E aisle or in the nave, so it appears that the mosaic survived in these parts of the building until it went out of use.
Evaluation of shelters over mosaics in Israel
MA thesis, The Raymond Lemaire Center for Conservation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, 2002
Thesis to obtain the degree of Master of Conservation of Historic Towns and Buildings
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