Dura-Europos is an early Christian synagogue in a deserted Hellenistic, Parthian and Roman city, Dura, on the banks of the Euphrates in Eastern Syria. The intricate and colorful frescoes that decorate the temple demonstrate the captivating junction of antiquated societies. I have chosen to analyze one of the paintings in particular that decorated the interior of the temple, the scene of Moses’ adoption in Egypt, by the Pharaoh’s daughter. This fresco is unique and valuable to archaeological records because it is possibly the first recorded depiction of this scene. In addition, the triadic cultures of Dura have created a unique style that appeals to Greco-Roman, Persian, and Greek audiences.
Dura-Europos is best known for the priceless artifacts discovered by both Americans and French archaeologists. The temple roof itself was covered with delightfully painted tiles, and both the frescoes and tiles were carefully removed by the engineer Henry Pearson and then reassembled in the National Museum of Damascus in Syria, and were artfully incorporated into the museum’s construction. Its well-preserved archeological remains, after the city was destroyed by the Persians in the third century, and never was reoccupied, have given valuable insight into life in the city in antiquity.
Additionally, Jewish history cited from the Bible, the Torah, and other religious texts demonstrates that there was a severe dismissal of pagan religion by the Hebrew people. However, as we can see in the frescoes of Dura-Europos, hellenization did manage to influence some of the exceptionally rich families. By dismissing agnosticism, the Jews demonstrated their dynamic belief as a group in the one true God. The frescoes at Dura are totally steadfast to Judaism.
The religious workmanship of Dura, and particularly the Synagogue, demonstrates a style that parallels those in other ancient cities. The stylization of the decorations of the temple, and the religious subject, are similar, as the uniform style of the Dura artists allowed them to complete hundreds of square metres of frescoes in a reasonable amount of time. They reflect both Greek and Persian cultures, in the way that the characters featured in the frescoes are dressed, as well as the possible inclusion of well-known Greek symbolic individuals- not necessarily gods, but metaphorical characters such as the Fates. The redundancy and formal aspects of these frescoes echo the steadfast puritanism of the Jewish people. In this particular fresco, we see Pharaoh on his throne, announcing that all Israelite male infants must be killed. In the middle, Moses` mother places Moses in the Nile. On the far left, we see Moses possibly depicted twice, to show movement; being discovered first by Pharaoh's daughter, and then being returned to his birth mother.
This fresco, like the others in Dura-Europos are common variants of contemporary Greco-Roman style and system; are not in fact truly fresco, egg-based paint, but rather paint over mortar. A portion of the canvases have figures whose eyes have been scratched out, particularly those in Persian ensemble. Researchers think the works of art were utilized as an instructional tool to teach and show the history and laws of the religion, much like stained glass windows would be used some thousand years later. It is likely that the synagogue was painted so elaborately with the end goal to contend with the numerous different religions (including the polytheism of the Greeks and Romans) in Dura Europos. Despite later Catholic and Jewish traditions that sternly reject graven images, these large-scale, detailed frescoes seem nearly frivolous and decorative in comparison to the staunch, stiff icons of later periods.
What is unique about this certain scene is the use of nudity in a religious context. Judaistic principles, at the time, valued piety, devotion, and strict adherence to laws. What is strange, then, is the evident nudity of Moses’ mother in the tableau. She is not necessarily sexualized, as her breasts and pubic area are not clearly defined, yet she resembles a nymph or goddess from Greek tradition; for example, Aphrodite, emerging from the sea. She is darker in skin tone than the Egyptian women, literally sinking below them into the water, and seems much more plainly dressed and less refined, implying the economic and class differences of the two groups.
The women on the bank of the river are all wearing Greek-style Ionic chitons, in rich colours like purple and gold, that would be symbolic of royalty or high status. The scene itself reads as a Greek pediment would, chronologically. The three women on the left in the background, possibly the princess’s ladies-in-waiting, are carrying different amphorae (or what resemble them), which is another tie to Greek culture. The three banners above the characters depicted possibly represent three tribes, or are used to create visual separation between scenes. The plant growing on the banks of the river seem to suggest reeds. Interestingly enough, this is not the first story of a child being abandoned in a river. There is a similar Roman story of the twins Romulus and Remus, who were sons of the god Mars, and were abandoned at the orders of an evil king, their grandfather, but rescued and then raised by a shepherd. These two stories are paralleled in many aspects, and suggest at intersection between the Jewish and Roman cultures.
In conclusion, there is still much debate over the purpose and intent of the paintings inside the synagogue of Dura-Europos. They were created in a time of conflict and change in religious and political presence, as well as coexistence. Dura-Europos was never home to a sole faith or people, but served as a gathering place for many different religions and cultures. The frescoes seem to interpret this sentiment, artfully fusing aspects from Hellenistic and Hebrew traditions, perhaps with the intentions to speak most directly to the viewer and their personal experience.