Beth Govrin (Eleutheropolis) - el-Maqerqesh - Mosaics of the seasons

The border (9.50 x 5 m) features a hunting scene. In the corner a house from which a huntsman emerges, he is holding aloft a sistrum in his right hand. In the center of the lower border is a circular medallion containing the bust of a woman, her head covered with a veil, she is holding two ducklings in her robe. Beside her left shoulder, a plant and to her right, a water pot, its contents flowing out. Next, an elephant and an eagle. In the left-hand corner another house, then a hare, a wolf and two sheep. A shepherd, his right hand raised is next, followed by a horse,tied to a tree and a hunter carrying a spear, attacking an animal (missing).The top, left-hand corner of the mosaic is destroyed. In the center of the upper border a horseman with a spear hunting a panther, The northeast corner and most of the right border are also missing. There is another hunter with a spear fighting a bear. All the figures stand on a continuous ground.line and are interspersed with plants. Lotus flowers in the lower border frame the border. The field features a geometric design of octagons containing animals. Between the octagons are squares containing various geometric patterns, two have birds. There are four circular medallions (centeral axis) inscribed in squares contain human figures, specifically personifications of the seasons and the elements. First is spring, she appears as a bust of a girl holding in her left hand a a cup with a bird perched on its rim. Sprigs surround her head. Next, earth appears as a woman wearing a crown holding fruit in her robe. Summer appears holding a sickle in her right hand and a sheaf of grain in her left. The octagons contain: A Hunting dog, sheep, tigress, bear, wild boar, Missing; maybe a lion, a leopard or jaguar and an antelope.