Some aspects of the pictorial influence of the Jewish Temple

Abstract

By Helen Rosenau THE fact of the destruction of the Jewish Temple in A.D. 70 was momentous in the history of Judaism but its symbolic importance survived it; this can be understood not only from ancient texts but perhaps even more clearly from pictorial representations. On the coins of Bar Kokba (:1:32-135) a building can be seen which is notable for two of its features: although it represents a temple in the usual Hellenistic form it shows no gabled roof bu t is surmounted by a flat architrave, its middle part between the two adjacent columns containing an object placed in the posi. tion which is frequently held by the statue of a god. Fig. I. Several interpretations have been offered, one being that the building represents the tabernacle, another suggests the shrine for the Scrolls (Torah), and yet another sees in it the temple which the followers of Bar Kokba proposed to restore.! The two first arguments can be easily refuted as there is no relation between the Tent described in the Bible and the architecture of the temple clearly represented on the coins. That the coins were mean t to show the shrine for the Scrolls is equally misleading as these shrines are depicted either as open cupboards giving the view of the scrolls or as closed cupboards of the same artistic type. But they are never given as buildings and show no architectural features. The idea that the Jewish Temple is represented comes nearer to the truth because the architecture of a temple can be seen on the coins but the question remains if this really expresses its whole meaning as so far no definite clue has been given. Another possibility is that the temple of Herod is represented. This is not altogether unlikely as the descriptions of Josephus and Middoth are not sufficiently exhaustive to solve