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Instructors: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Lehnardt; Farina Marx
Event type:
Practice class
Displayed in timetable as:
Jüdische Feiertage
Hours per week:
2
Language of instruction:
German
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 35
Priority scheme: Senatsrichtlinie
Requirements / organisational issues:
Knowledge of Hebrew is not required. The seminar is primarily addressed to students without any prior knowledge in the field of Jewish Studies.
Basic knowledge of Jewish liturgy and/or expertise as well as an impression of the typical characteristics of a synagogue, however, are very much of an advantage but not a prerequisite.
Contents:
Dura Europos (in Arabic: Qal'at ' es Salihiye) was a Greek city founded around 300 BC at the behest of Seleucus I. (312 - 280 BC). Today, Dura Europos is located in Syria on the Euphrates, in close proximity to Iraq. It was initially a Greek settlement in the Seleucid Empire and then became the administrative and economic centre of the region during the Parthian period. Ever since the Severi ruled the city it was a border fortress of the Roman Empire and was then conquered by the Sassanids in 256/57. The city was heavily destructed and was left for good around 273 BC. The diversity that this city offers is considered further in the course of this seminar, e.g. the sites of both the Christian and the Jewish community as well as the Temple of Artemis Nanaia which is regarded as the oldest sanctuary in the city.
The exceptional illustrations in the buildings are well preserved due to the dry climate. Hence, the focus of this seminar will be the excavated Dura Europos synagogue, the frescos of which will be analysed particularly in view of the prohibition of images. Due to the aforementioned excellent climatic conditions, not only images but also other organic materials such as fabrics have remained to this day, which will also be dealt with in the seminar. An impression of the Jewish life in an ancient city in which cultural diversity was prevalent will be conveyed by taking the probably oldest example of a so well-preserved synagogue. Furthermore, the seminar will provide the opportunity to learn the methodology for analysing frescos.
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