The first thing you see when you arrive at Tel Aviv Airport is a set of 3 huge mosaics above the gate to the Immigration lines !
On the Left, a magnificent mosaic floor
was discovered in a Byzantine structure (5th-6th C AD) in
BethLehem of the Galilee
features animals, birds, trees, grapes, and geometric patterns.
On the Upper Right a
mosaic floor from Beth-Shean was dated to the Byzantine period,
5-6th Century AD. It is decorated with a pattern of green parrots, each bird wearing a
ribbon tied around its neck.
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The Greek
inscription at the top reads : "Blessed shalt thou be when thou
comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out." (Deuteronomy
28:6). This text from the Bible is indeed appropriate for welcoming the visitors to the
Holy Land.
On the Lower Right, the 6th Century AD mosaic on
display comes from Caesarea Maritima. It is lavishly decorated with birds, geometric shapes, animals and trees, and in its center a
woman holds a fruit basket. Her Greek name, Kalokeria, is
inscribed around the figure and suggests prosperity.
I
am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek,
Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my
site mosaicblues.
If you are interested by my work
or
if you would like to drop me a line, please
contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com
or by phone at (334) 798 1639.
You can also
to receive regular updates on my present
Yezidi Eyes Mosaic Project,
and my other projects.
These are beautiful mosaics. Thank you for sharing them, Frederic.
ReplyDeleteReference your entry: ...a woman holds a fruit basket. Her Greek name, Kalokeria, is inscribed around the figure and suggests prosperity.... Kalokeria is Greek for 'Summer' which means "good times', ergo bountiful.
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