In the previous post, we discussed a bit about the art of mosaic floors, their origins, and their function throughout the ancient Mediterranean. We also mentioned their possible origins in Judea and Galilee. But why and for what purpose decorate a space with this type of art?  

Mosaic floors were generally placed in spaces such as baths, dining rooms, hallways, and bedrooms. Due to their construction in stone, they were very durable and waterproof, which made them very popular, in addition to serving an aesthetic function.

But who made them? Why and for what purpose? It is known that in the ancient world, there were itinerant artist workshops that traveled with design books, offering their work in different cities (which is why similar works can be found in archaeological sites separated by hundreds of miles). There were also local workshops that worked exclusively. In the 1st century CE, in the regions of Galilee and Judea, this art was so new that, in fact, it is difficult to speak of artist workshops and draw conclusions about them.

In general, mosaics were created for two contexts: domestic, where the homeowner commissioned the work, and public, where the community, sometimes with donors, was responsible for its creation, and they would request that their names be inscribed in the mosaic. In the case of the mosaics from Magdala, we can assume that the synagogue was decorated collectively, as it was a semi-public space, while the ritual baths were probably commissioned privately.

Another element supporting this idea is the quality of both mosaics.  

The craftsmanship varies: the synagogue mosaic presents a more detailed and precise design, with cubic tesserae and the opus classicum technique, while the mosaic from the ritual baths uses stones of different types and shapes, with a less defined design and a rosette that seems to lack any specific technique.

But beyond the quality of the mosaics, why those designs? Jewish law, through the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, clearly forbids the representation of God or any image created by Him that could fall into idolatry, as expressed in the Torah: "You shall not make for yourselves a graven image or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters beneath the earth." During the 1st century CE, the prohibition of images was respected, and in the 2nd century CE, when the Mishnah was written, this idea was reaffirmed in the tractates of Sanhedrin and Avodá Zará.

Both mosaics are evidence of what the ancient inhabitants of Magdala thought. They are a cultural adoption of the Greek and Roman worlds in terms of technique and manufacture, but at the same time, they demonstrate respect for the laws. The geometric figures in the mosaics not only represent the absence of images, but also serve as a statement of cultural identity through the beauty of ancient Jewish art.

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