Jabaliyah; el-Mkheitim - Church

The baptistry hall was paved with beautiful geometric carpets, which have survived almost in tact. The personifications of the Four Rivers of Paradise were part of a special mosaic, later almost completely destroyed, surrounding the cross-shaped basin; it consisted of four exotic animals at the basin’s corners: an elephant at the upper right, a giraffe at the lower right, and perhaps a leopard and zebra at the left corners. Between these animals were fruit trees and the personifications of the Four Rivers of Paradise: of these, only two survived the destruction. On the left is a portrayal of a naked woman’s bust with rivulets springing from her breast. Only two letters of the Greek inscription survived, identifying her as Gehon, usually identified with the Nile (ordinarily this river is portrayed as a male). On the right is a naked elderly man with a green wreath in his hair and between his arms an urn with water pouring out. The Greek inscription above identifies him as Phison. Both are rendered above a wavy pattern of water. The two completely destroyed others were probably portrayed on the upper and lower parts of the same mosaic. (Hachlili)