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Researchers have examined a multitude of clues to discover the meaning of this complex mosaic. Explore a selection of them here.

Aftermath of Battle This section shows figures from an army that has been defeated in battle. Here a dead soldier, dressed in Greek armor, has been killed by a spear.

Felled Giant A battle elephant from the defeated army has died in the conflict along with the soldier on its back.

Casualty in Question Another spear has killed this bull. The significance of this animal is one of the mosaic’s many mysteries.

Ready Defenders A group of youths stand with their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready to fight if necessary.

Status Symbol The H on the men’s clothing is the Greek letter eta. Such symbols denote status, as does the lavish decoration of their garments.

Besieged City? The stone arcade likely symbolizes a city or a city’s gates.

Going Eye to Eye The older man seated on a throne in the center is a high priest and the leader of the group of youths. He’s the focal point here, as the only figure in the arcade who makes eye contact with the viewer.

Shining Lights Lighted oil lamps sit above the arcade. This type of lamp is often found in archaeological excavations in this region.

Marred Masterpiece A repaired patch shows that this mosaic was in use for some time and then was damaged. The fix isn’t nearly as fine as the original stonework.

Peace Accord In this register, the Judean high priest meets the commander of an army. The same armed youths who appear in the arcade are now sheathing their swords. The encounter is peaceful, so there’s no need to fight.

Divine Sanction The high priest points skyward to signal divine approval of his encounter with the military leader.

A Great General The commander wears a diadem, a ribbon of leather around his head. Alexander the Great first wore that as a symbol of kingship, and his successors continued to do so. This figure could be any one of those men.

The Color Purple The commander wears a purple cloak, another sign of royalty.

Anachronistic Armor The commander’s breastplate is Roman, the only kind of armor known to the fifth-century mosaic artists.

Innumerable Army The ranks of the army appear here. They continue off the edge of the mosaic, an indication that the army was very large.

Not-So-Secret Weapon Elephants outfitted for battle are part of the invading army. They make some modern observers think of the Maccabees’ revolt against the Seleucids, who were famous for using battle elephants.

Paying Homage The commander acknowledges the god of Israel by offering a bull for sacrifice.

Diplomatic Gestures The high priest reciprocates with a gesture that acknowledges the commander’s offering.