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8 - Jewish Iconography

from Part I - Architecture and Iconography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2025

Leonard V. Rutgers
Affiliation:
Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
Neil Christie
Affiliation:
University of Leicester
Robin M. Jensen
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame, Indiana
Jodi Magness
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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Summary

This chapter explores Jewish iconography in Late Antiquity, focusing on the evolution of visual representations in synagogue art and everyday objects. Drawing on archaeological remains from ancient Palestine and the Diaspora, it examines architectural decorations, mosaics, wall paintings and interior furnishings. Analysis of these remains reveals that Jewish iconography was not static but evolved dynamically in response to broader Graeco-Roman and early Christian artistic traditions. The chapter illustrates this by demonstrating how synagogue ornamentation combined traditional Jewish symbols – such as the menorah, Torah shrine and ritual objects – with motifs borrowed from surrounding cultures, including mythological figures and zodiac imagery. It also engages with the long-standing debate on aniconism in Judaism, arguing that figurative art was more prevalent than previously assumed. Emphasising that Jewish art served both religious and communal functions, the chapter highlights how it reinforced Jewish identity during a period of cultural transition.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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  • Jewish Iconography
  • Edited by Leonard V. Rutgers, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Neil Christie, University of Leicester, Robin M. Jensen, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Book: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Late Antique Art and Archaeology
  • Online publication: 04 July 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009535090.009
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  • Jewish Iconography
  • Edited by Leonard V. Rutgers, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Neil Christie, University of Leicester, Robin M. Jensen, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Book: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Late Antique Art and Archaeology
  • Online publication: 04 July 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009535090.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Jewish Iconography
  • Edited by Leonard V. Rutgers, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Neil Christie, University of Leicester, Robin M. Jensen, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Book: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Late Antique Art and Archaeology
  • Online publication: 04 July 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009535090.009
Available formats
×