Surprises in the gardens

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Let's stroll around the outdoor part of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem for our weekly tour meme, That's My World.

Half-hidden in the bushes is this 3rd century Samaritan sarcophagus.
Bulls' heads, a conch shell, garlands--beautiful what they carved in stone, eh?
It was discovered in Kfar Siris, near Jenin.
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This marble lid of a Roman period sarcophagus was found in Caesaria.

According to the myth depicted, Zeus changed himself into a swan to ravish Leda, wife of the king of Sparta.

From their union, Helen of Troy was born, whose beauty was the cause of the Trojan War.

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Too bad it is missing the upper part of the figures.

But, I guess you can't have everything . . . .

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Ossuaries and sarcophagi are scattered all around the grounds.

I have a feeling they are the ones not perfect enough to be placed INSIDE the museum, but they make for delightful surprises when you find them.

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It seems like even the form of these benches was inspired by the surrounding sarcophagi.

Enlarge the photo and take a close look. You think so?

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Interment in these large stone coffins was widespread in the Mediterranean basin in the 2nd to 5th centuries CE.

This funerary custom was first practiced among pagans and was later also adopted by Jews, Christians, and Samaritans.

The Greek word sarcophagus means “flesh-eating.”

The sarcophagi were placed inside mausoleums or in rock-hewn burial caves.

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And on that lively note we end the tour. ;-)

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