Images of culture in public cult buildings : a study of the archaeological remains of late Roman and early Byzantine synagogues and churches in Ancient Palestine, dating from the mid second to the mid seventh centuries C.E.

Public cult buildings from the Late Roman and Early Byzantine period have traditionally been studied from within the historiographic streams of Christianity and Judaism. The ensuing character of Antique culture follows the confessional paradigm and is characterized as Christian, Pagan and miscellaneous Other. This traditional model is criticized in light of the ease with such an approach leads to confinement, misunderstanding and mishandling of archaeological data from this historical period. This thesis proposes an alternative approach and begins with a systematic study of 173 cult sites. Site data are treated to a methodical and very detailed examination of five categories of material culture, namely coin treasuries, inscriptions, elements of the site situation, architectural elements and art motifs. The dissertation examines both the configuration of sites in general and a broad selection of specific attributes. The value of this approach lies in the many new areas of research which are opened to us under this methodology