Page 57 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich

A Walk to Caesarea: A Historical-Archaeological Perspective 43

a Fig. 48a
Sarcophagus of the
Battle of the Amazons.
Discovered in 1924
in a burial estate at
Tel Mevorakh, north
of Caesarea. 2nd–3rd
century CE. Lying on
the lid are a man and a
woman whose heads have
been mutilated. Sculpted
on the front panel, on
two levels, are twelve
figures (seven Greeks and
five Amazons) and five
horses. The Amazons are
armed with spears and
wearing Phrygian caps.
The naked Greeks are
wearing helmets. Depicted
on the back are two
winged griffins

b Fig. 48b

vaults of the oval amphitheater which became obsolete in the fourth century. Chancel The Garlands Sarcophagus.
screens were also found, decorated with menorahs and a shofar. Many tombstones and Discovered in 1924 in
sarcophagi were also found decorated with mythological scenes and motifs of the city’s a burial estate at Tel
pagan population (Figs. 47–48a–e) and Christian tombstones decorated with crosses Mevorakh, north of
(Figs. 49a–c). Caesarea. 3rd century
CE. In the corners stand
winged Victories holding
a palm branch in the left
hand and a small, round
garland in the other. Three
garlands, with a ribbon
above, are held up by
two cupids. Above the
central garland is an eagle
with spread wings. To the
right – a bust of Hermes
holding a caduceus on his
shoulder and to the left –
a bust of Hercules holding
a club supported by his
shoulder. Beneath the
garlands clusters of grapes
are depicted