Art and architecture of the synagogue in late antique Palestine : in the shadow of the church /
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This study examines the material evidence for synagogues and churches in the Holy Land from the age of Constantine in the fourth century CE to the Arab conquest of the eastern provinces in the seventh century CE. Whereas scholars once viewed the growth of the Byzantine empire as time of persecution, a re-evaluation of the archaeological evidence indicates that Jews prospered along with their Christian neighbours. What influence did Christian art and architecture have on ancient synagogues? In the sixth century, one-third of all known synagogues in Palestine bear features similar to early Byzantine churches: basilical layouts, mosaic floors, apses, and chancel screens. Focusing on these features sheds light on how Jewish communities met the challenges posed by the Church's development into a major religious and political power. This book provides a critical analysis of the archaeological evidence as a basis for our better understanding of Jewish identity and community in late Antique Palestine.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [273]-297) and index. :
9789047418719 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Ancient mosaic pavements : themes, issues, and trends : selected studies /
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This publication is engaged in issues, trends, and themes depicted on mosaic pavements discovered in Israel, the Gaza Strip and Petra (the provinces of ancient Palaestina Prima, Secunda and Tertia) with comparable floors in Jordan (Arabia). The majority of the mosaic pavements discussed in this study are dated to the 4th-8th centuries CE. Mosaic pavements were the normal medium for decorating the floors of synagogues, churches, monasteries, and chapels, as well as public and private buildings. Inscriptions found on many of the pavements commemorate the donors, refer to the artists, and sometimes date the mosaics. The ornamentation of the mosaics in this region is remarkable, rich, and varied in its themes and provides many insights into the contemporary artistic and social cultures.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [297]-308) and index. :
9789047442066 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Like Joseph in beauty : Yemeni vernacular poetry and Arab-Jewish symbiosis /
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Like Joseph in Beauty traces the evolution of an Arabic poetic form called 'Humayni poetry'. From Muslim mystical circles, the courts of aristocrats in Highland Yemen, and kabbalist circles of Yemenite Jews, Humayni poetry distinguishes itself with lyricism, musicality, and eroticism. It also plays a variety of code-switching linguistic games. The book addresses the connections between the Humayni poetry of Yemen and the sacred poetry of Jews from Yemen, a hitherto-neglected chapter in the history of Arabic and Jewish literatures. The book culminates with a discussion of ways in which poets and critics in modern-day Yemen and in Israel transformed this poetry.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [327]-339) and index. :
9789047442196 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Pens, swords, and the springs of art : the oral poetry dueling of Palestinian weddings in the Galilee /
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Offering a detailed analysis of oral poetry dueling performed at traditional Palestinian weddings, this work is unique in addressing poetry dueling as a performative and compositional device, and exploring the complex linkages between this tradition and other genres of Arabic poetry. It includes a study of poetry dueling in standard Arabic; a description of the historical and performance contexts of the Palestinian duels, as well as of poets and their training; an analysis of a single performance; and a re-interpretation of the nature verbal dueling generally. Including a transcription and translation of an entire performance, the book considers the social efficacy of poetry dueling, its aesthetic nature, and its value as a compositional device within a larger system of poetic production.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [363]-369) and index. :
9789047410348 :
1571-5183 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.