The monograph is dedicated to Jewish fine art of late antiquity. For the first time in the Russian tradition, the mosaics of Galilee synagogues are examined in their cultural context, the unique cultural situation of the region is reconstructed, characterized by the literary and religious activity of the Jews, which was most fully manifested in the formation of the world of the synagogue with its inherent architectural features. The synagogue begins to use visual arts for the first time. The author proposes to consider synagogue art as following the iconographic canon, which is a three-part mosaic composition that played a significant role in rethinking the space of the synagogue into the symbolic space of the destroyed Temple, with the main shrine - the Torah scroll. CONTENTS: Preface 9Chapter I. JEWISH ART OF LATE ANTIQUE. EXPERIMENTS IN INTERPRETATIONThe great discovery of the synagogue in Dura-Europos 20New finds of synagogues in the Holy Land 35Experiences in the interpretation of Jewish art of late antiquity 38Erwin Goodenough. History of scientific loneliness 41Jewish art and the problem of the emergence of Christian art 51In search of a new image 64Chapter II. THE AMAZING WORLD OF GALILEEMeeting place - a few words about the geography of the Holy Land 71Different names of the Holy Land 73Character of Galilean society 79Periodization of the social life of the Holy Land 91On the way to the world of the synagogue 95Synagogue in the Diaspora 102Periodization of synagogues 113Features of the architectural development of the synagogues of Galilee 124Torah niche in the synagogue in Dura-Europos 141From community to synagogue 152Chapter III. ARTISTIC WORLD OF SYNAGOGES OF GALILEE V–VI centuries. AD The art of mosaics in the Holy Land 163 The mosaic art of Galilee 171 The synagogue in the private house of Beth Shean - a mosaic with a scene from Homer: form and content 187 Synagogue mosaics as an example of rethinking the surrounding culture and polemics with it 196 The mosaics of Beth Alpha as an example of religious polemics 210 The meaning of the motif woven shoots in the synagogue at Beth Alpha 220Chapter IV. FINE CANON OF JEWISH SYNAGOGAL ART OF BYZANTINE PALESTINE IV–VI centuries. n. BC Iconographic canon of synagogue art of Galilee 233 Stylistic features of the image of the Aron Kodesh in panels with ritual objects 238 Iconographic features of the image of the Aron Kodesh. Dura-Europos 246Iconographic features of the image of Aron Kodesh. Rome 251The image of the Ark as an image of the Temple 257From the Jerusalem Temple to the synagogue 266The meaning of the panel with the zodiac circle in the iconographic composition of the Galilean synagogues 270The image of the heavenly Garden of Eden in Beth Alpha 281Akeda in Beth Alpha 283Iconography of a bull with a lion 291The synagogue at Ein Gedi and its inscription 295I Conographic features of the synagogue mosaic in Naaran 297Development of the iconographic canon of Galilee 299Memory of the Temple embodied in stone 302Torah vestments and the iconographic canon of Galilee 313Conclusion 319Summary 335Bibliography 345Glossary of terms 363Index of illustrations 365