Happenings 03
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Wall-panting with Sosannah and the Jewish judges

The wall painting from the western wall of a barrel-vaulted grave, which depicts the biblical scene of Sosannah. The scene is divided into two registers. The lower is decorated with a foliated thorakion slab which is flanked by two small pillars ending at the top to a pine cone.

Two wide color bands, one green and one orange, are covering approximately up to the middle a second zone, above the thorakion, indicating the ground. In front of them is presented the praying Sosanna between the two Jewish Judges. The scene is flanked by two slender trees, possibly cypress. The Sosanna is represented standing and praying, turned in frontally. She wears a long robe and her youthful face is rendered solemn. To the right and left of her are depicted two standing male figure, wearing tunic, robe and sandals. The figure on the right is the elder. The scene presents the history of Sosanna, who was accused of adultery by two Jewish judges, when she refused to give in to their solicitations, demanding her condemnation of death. Then Sosanna prayed to God who sent Daniel to judge the judges and revealed the plot. The theme of the scene was very popular at that time, because expresses allegorically the triumph of the Church against the heresies that plagued the Christian world in the 4th and 5th century.

 

Code

ΒΤ 17Α

Type

Wall-painting-fresco (detached)

Chronology

Early 5th century A.D.

Dimensions

Height 1.70 m; width 1.27 m.; Thickness 0.05 m

Material of Construction

Mortar and pigments

Origin

Thessaloniki, Eastern necropolis, Aristotle University, Dormitories of Female Students.