The scene of the mosaic is an allegory for the fertility of the earth. Ge (Earth) is depicted at the center surrounded by four young children (Karpoi, personifications of fruits of the earth) holding fruits in their hands. To the left, the personalized Aion (Century) sits holding a wheel, and to the right Prometheus creates the Protoplast (First Man), that is the preform of man. At the top of the mosaic, two Cupids are depicted in the center, who are so -called Drosoi, and the four heads of the personified winds: Notos (south wind), Euros (eastern wind), Zephyros (west wind) and Boreas (north wind) on the right corner above. The scene is enriched with four winged female figures, the Tropai (personifications of the solstices, that is, the intervals in mid -summer and winter), as well as Georgia (Agriculture) with Triptolemos, and Hermes with Psyche (Soul).
Caption Roman mosaic from Philippopolis of Syria with Boreas being present in the creation of the first human by Prometheus
Mythic people Triptolemus (Hero), Eros (Deity), Hermes (Deity), Prometheus (Deity), Psyche (Heroine) ,Boreas (Deity)
Type Mosaic
Origin Shahba (ancient Philippopolis), Syria
Current position National Museum of Damascus, Syria
Index number 5929
Dating 240-260 AD
Notes
http://www.limc-france.fr/objet/10535
Quet, Marie-Henriette 1999. La mosaïque dite d'Aiôn de Shahba-Philippopolis, Philippe l'Arabe et la conception hellène de l'ordre du Monde, en Arabie, à l'aube du christianisme. Cahiers du Centre Gustave Glotz 10, 269-330.
Quet, Marie-Henriette 2000. Le triptolème de la mosaïque dite d'AIÖN et l'affirmation identitaire Héllène à Shahba-Philippopolis . Syria 77, 181-200.
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