Torah Shrine, Dura-Europos

The Dura-Europos synagogue preserves some of the earliest attested synagogue art. Its vivid frescoes depict Jewish ritual iconography and biblical scenes, shedding light on Jewish worship, artistic traditions, and Greco-Roman cultural influence in late antiquity.

Moses Panel, Dura-Europos

This panel from the synagogue at Dura-Europos, Syria, depicts Moses with the burning bush and a pair of sandals at his feet. It is part of the four-part “wing panels” series above the Torah shrine…

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Ancient mural showing women standing beside a river lined with reeds. A nude woman stands in the river holding an infant. To their right, a man sits on a throne, flanked by two other men. Two women stand before him; another woman kneels.

Moses’ Rescue from the River, Dura-Europos

In this panel from the Dura-Europos synagogue in Syria, a female figure, likely Pharaoh's daughter, stands in the river with the infant Moses in her arms.

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Colorful ancient wall paintings with biblical scenes and figures surround a small, elaborately decorated niche with stairs, set against a stone floor and walls in an archaeological restoration.

Western Wall, Dura-Europos

The Dura-Europos synagogue in modern-day Syria contains some of the most magnificent and best-preserved examples of ancient synagogue art. From top to bottom, the walls of the assembly hall were…

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A colorful ancient fresco depicts a temple with columns, a large menorah, a priest, and various other figures, along with several animals, all framed by decorative borders.

The Wilderness Tabernacle, Dura-Europos

This panel from the Dura Europos synagogue in Syria depicts the wilderness Tabernacle as a built structure rather than a tent. The stone façade at the bottom of the panel represents the outer wall…

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Ancient mosaic showing a large armored figure holding four small soldiers, with Aramaic text below, two fallen figures to the left, and a horse with a rider to the right. Some sections are missing or damaged.

Samson Mosaic, Wadi Ḥamam

This mosaic panel from the synagogue at Wadi Ḥamam, in upper Galilee, depicts Samson smiting the Philistines. In line with later Jewish tradition, Samson is depicted as a giant, and he is dressed in…

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Ancient mosaic with a deer, a building with columns, menorahs, ritual objects, and geometric patterns, partially damaged and surrounded by stone ruins.

Mosaic Floor Panel, Susiya

This mosaic floor panel from the synagogue of Susiya, in the Hebron hills, depicts a Torah ark flanked by a menorah on each side. The Torah shrine is shown as a wide façade with four columns, each…

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Torah Shrine, Dura-Europos

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