Corpus of Byzantine Church Mosaic Pavements in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

This is a catalogue of church, chapel and monastery mosaic pavements

discovered within the borders of Israel and the Palestinian Territories

(Roman Palestine). Chronologically, it spans the early 4th to 8th

centuries, the latter period seemingly designating the cessation of

mosaic manufacture in early Christian edifices in Palestine based on

current archaeological findings.
Sites are arranged alphabetically

and according to the four Roman provinces that encompassed the region,

and to which it is believed each originally belonged. The primary name

chosen for each site (in most cases) correlates with the site name used

in the indispensable gazetteer Tabula Imperii Romani Iudaea

Palaestina (1994), allowing for relatively simple site

identification and cross-referencing. In order to simplify the mosaic

design descriptions, the catalogue utilises a system of geometric

pattern coding. For each site, a map reference is given for the Israel

Grid, followed by a brief outline of its excavation or survey, a

thorough description of the pavements including the coding system,

inscriptions (if present), a commentary including proposed dates (if

given) and bibliography. The indexes include a concise list of

occurrences for each pattern code, figural designs and iconoclastic

damage; for inscriptions, ecclesiastical titles, named mosaicists and

cited provincial dating eras.