Madaba Museum
Several old houses and courtyards display mosaic floors found in situ or in other places, as well as archaeological and ethnographic exhibits.
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The mosaics of the Twal Family Chapel were found in situ and are displayed in two rooms. The first room has a panel decorated with a composition of squares of various sizes, filled with interlaced geometric motifs and birds, including one in a cage. The panel towards the back room has a geometric floral design.
The raised presbyterium is square, 4 m on a side, and is decorated with a grid of leaves and flowers and a central medallion with the image of a garland enclosing a ram near a small tree. The grid is surrounded by a guilloche which has vine branches running outside of it.
At the step there is a dedicatory inscription which was badly damaged in an attempt at restoration. However, one can tentatively read: “With the offering [of] your [servant] Aitha, this holy place was paved with mosaics.”
(Edited descriptions from: Michele Piccirillo)
© Photo: Haupt & Binder
Several old houses and courtyards display mosaic floors found in situ or in other places, as well as archaeological and ethnographic exhibits.
By Michele Piccirillo
A large format, cloth-bound volume with 383 pages, 874 illustrations, including aerial views of many of the sites and plans of most of the structures which have mosaics.
American Center of Oriental Research, Amman, Jordan. First edition in 1993.
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