Karen B. Stern. Mapping Devotion in Roman Dura Europos: A Reconsideration of the Synagogue Ceiling

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Among the most famous works discovered over the decades at Dura Europos are the frescoes decorating the synagogue’s inner walls. They have attracted the attention of several scholars, who have raised questions about the portrayed scenes and their context. They have focused not only on the biblical motifs, by far the most distinctive feature, but also on the remarkable state of preservation at the time of discovery. The building itself is an extraordinary discovery, a unique example of a compl...