RCIN and OZwRCIN projects

Object

Planned object

Title: The Church Atop a Synagogue in Chersonesos?

Creator:

Jastrzębowska, Elżbieta (1946– )

Date issued/created:

2014

Resource type:

Text

Subtitle:

Archeologia T. 62-63 (2014) R. 2011-2012

Publisher:

Wydawnictwo IAE PAN

Place of publishing:

Warszawa

Description:

ill. ; 31 cm

Type of object:

Journal/Article

Abstract:

The 1935 Basilica that overlooks the seacoast in Chersonesos Taurica is one of the best-known of the eight large Late Antique churches excavated at the site. The structure is a three-aisle basilica with an east- oriented apse, typical of the Christian East, and its architecture bears testimony to two clearly distinguished phases dated to the 5th and 6th cent. The earlier basilica was abutted from the south by a room that is traditionally interpreted as a Jewish synagogue, based on supposed Hebrew graffiti on fragments of fallen plaster and a relief representation of a menorah on a stone block re-used in the apse of the later basilica. However, the interpretation that assumes conversion of a Jewish place of worship into a Christian basilica is unconvincing in the light of cases better supported by archaeological evidence. Churches erected in Late An¬tiquity in place of earlier synagogues were found in Stobi in Macedonia, Apamea and Palmyra in Syria, and Gerasa (modern-day Jordan). In these cities, the synagogues occupied an important place in the urban land¬scape; their identification is supported by inscriptions, the wealth of architectural detail is significant, and niches for the Torah are always oriented towards Jerusalem. All of these synagogues were torn down or com¬pletely transformed in order to build Christian churches in their place. This cannot be said of the 1935 Basilica in Chersonesos Taurica. On the other hand, the mere four examples from known Late Antique sites is a modest number that contrasts with textual evidence describing brutal methods of „Christianising" synagogues. The number of synagogues converted to churches is also small compared to the number of known synagogues that were not destroyed in this manner

Relation:

Archeologia

Volume:

62-63

Issue:

2011-2012

Start page:

61

End page:

73

Detailed Resource Type:

Article

Format:

application/octet-stream

Resource Identifier:

0066-605X

Source:

IAiE PAN, call no. P III 24 ; IAiE PAN, call no. P III 29 ; IAiE PAN, call no. P III 30 ; click here to follow the link

Language:

eng

Rights:

Rights Reserved - Restricted Access

Terms of use:

Copyright-protected material. Access only on terminals at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, may be used within the limits of statutory user freedoms.

Digitizing institution:

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Original in:

Library of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Access:

Closed

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