This Mosaic floor, from the 1st century C.E., at the House of
Triptolemus in Pompeii is mentioned, along with many other simillar designs, in
M.E. Blake’s ’The pavements of the Roman buildings of the Republic and the
Early Empire’, Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome, Vol. VIII, 1930, pl.
39,3, VII, VII, 5, but her spelling of Triptolemus is different (Casa di
Trittolemo) and her photos are low resolution b&w. I hope that in time
I"ll publish here all her photos in a higher relolution and in color.
In this design we notice that
the center is filled with the symbol of the six petals, which are actually more
geometric product of using the compass than a vegetative motif. this six-petals
symbol is surrounded by several hexagons, and, along with the star of David by
three circles, which are surrounded by squares - so, all in all, we are
confronted here with a complicated combination of geometrical elements.
This combination raises the question whether a symbol (like the Star of
David) maintains its original meaning when it stops standing alone. A good
illustration to this problem is the addition of two blue stripes to the blue
Star of David in the Israeli flag, which changes the Jewish symbol (Star of
David) into a symbol of the Jewish State.
the six- petals symbol combined with the Star of David symbol appears
also, as mentioned
by my teacher, Dr. Ze'ev Goldmann, in
another three Mosaic Floors at the same place:
1. M.E. Blake, ibid. pl. 33, 4, Pompeii VI, VIII, 20
2. M.E. Blake, ibid. pl 38, 3. Pompeii VI, XVI, 7
3. M.E. Blake, ibid. pl 33, I. Pompeii VIII, V, 16 and 38
as well as in:
4. Ein Yael
Mosaic Floor, where it is surrounded similarily by a hexagon, but in
combination with the apotropaic pelta symbol (Amazon Shield) , the Ivy symbol
and with the geometrical elements of the Guilloche and the successive stepped
triangles.
5. In Capernaum
the six- petals symbol appears with the Star of David symbol on the same lintel
along with many other symbols.
Thanks to Karl from
for letting me publish his photo here.
