Early Menorah Depiction Found

[Nephele]

Israeli archaeologists have uncovered one of the earliest depictions of a menorah, the seven-branched candelabra that has come to symbolize Judaism, the Antiquities Authority said Friday.

 

The menorah was engraved in stone around 2,000 years ago and found in a synagogue recently discovered by the Kinneret.

 

Pottery, coins and tools found at the site indicate the synagogue dates to the period of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem, where the actual menorah was kept, said archaeologist Dina Avshalom-Gorni of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

 

The artist might have seen the menorah during a pilgrimage and then recreated it in the synagogue, she suggested.

 

Full article here:

 

Early Menorah Depiction Found in Galilee

 

 

-- Nephele

[JGolomb]

Israeli archaeologists have uncovered one of the earliest depictions of a menorah, the seven-branched candelabra that has come to symbolize Judaism, the Antiquities Authority said Friday.

 

The menorah was engraved in stone around 2,000 years ago and found in a synagogue recently discovered by the Kinneret.

 

Pottery, coins and tools found at the site indicate the synagogue dates to the period of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem, where the actual menorah was kept, said archaeologist Dina Avshalom-Gorni of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

 

The artist might have seen the menorah during a pilgrimage and then recreated it in the synagogue, she suggested.

 

Full article here:

 

Early Menorah Depiction Found in Galilee

 

 

-- Nephele

Nephele - good catch. Interesting story. I had no idea that images of the menorah were so limited.

 

Here's another story with a few additional details:

Known depictions of the Menorah from Second Temple times include the famous relief of Titus's Arch in Rome, which shows Roman soldiers taking it away after destroying the Temple, and depictions on contemporary coins as well as graffiti etched into stone in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter. However, the new find is said to be the first which includes a relief etched by an artist contemporary with the Temple.

 

And another picture below.

 

And a view of the menorah on the Arch of Titus:

[Nephele]

Nice illustrations and article find of your own, JGolomb!

 

Nephele - good catch. Interesting story. I had no idea that images of the menorah were so limited.

 

I don't know about images of the menorah having been limited in antiquity. At least, there seem to have been plenty on Jewish burial plaques found in Italy. Here's one from around the 3rd century (on display in New York City's Jewish Museum):

 

 

-- Nephele

[Klingan]

There are menorahs depicted in Ostia as well.

 

Edited September 13, 2009 by Klingan