The prophet Jonah's feet emerge from the giant fish that swallowed him. In an exaggeration of the story, additional fish swallow the fish consuming the prophet.
- Culture
- News
Man-eating fish, Tower of Babel revealed on ancient mosaic
Archaeologists discover even more remarkable biblical scenes on the floor of a 1,600-year-old synagogue in Israel.
More stunning scenes have been uncovered at the site of a fifth-century synagogue in Israel, where archaeologists have been excavating an ornate mosaic floor since 2012.
The discoveries at Huqoq, a site three miles west of the Sea of Galilee, are especially striking due to the unusual subject matter depicted on the floor of the synagogue, says excavation director Jodi Magness of UNC Chapel Hill.
Along with images from biblical stories such as Noah’s Ark, Moses’ spies, and the parting of the Red Sea—which are rare or even unattested in other synagogues of the period—the mosaic depicts non-biblical details including cupids, classical theater masks, and an enigmatic scene of two powerful men accompanied by soldiers and battle elephants—the
