Mosaic of Date Palm Tree

Mosaic of Date Palm Tree

This tree and its unlocated companion panel, part of the decorative mosaics from an ancient synagogue, probably represented the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life, from the Garden of Eden and described in the biblical Book of Genesis. For the Jewish congregation of Hammam Lif it also evoked the city of Jerusalem, a place often represented in art by the date palm, perhaps because dates were a major export crop of the region.

CULTURE Roman

MEDIUM Stone and mortar

DATES 6th century C.E.

DIMENSIONS With Frame: 1 3/8 x 34 5/8 x 74 3/16 in. (3.5 x 87.9 x 188.4 cm) Without Frame: 1 3/8 x 31 x 70 9/16 in. (3.5 x 78.8 x 179.2 cm) Other: 248 lb. (112.5kg) (show scale)

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/17086