12th-century Fresco on Display

Photo by Niki Navidov, IAA/Isranet

According to archaeologist Jon Seligman, the subject of the fresco is apparently a scene of deesis (“supplication” in Greek). This is a known iconographic formula whereby Mary and John the Baptist beseech Jesus for forgiveness for the sake of humanity. Jesus sits in the center with Mary to His right and John the Baptist to His left. Two other pairs of legs, probably those of angels, can be seen next to Mary and John. Colorful floral tendrils and a saying by Saint Augustine in Latin also decorate the piece.

According to Jacques Nagar, head of the team of conservators, “This is one of the most important paintings that have been preserved from the Crusader period in Israel. The painting is the largest to come out of an archaeological excavation in the country, and the treatment the painting underwent in the laboratories of the Israel Antiquities Authority was…the most complicated ever done here. This wall painting…is extremely rare because very few wall paintings have survived from the Crusader churches that were built in Jerusalem…The excellent quality of the painting was in all likelihood the workmanship of master artists and the vibrant colors reflect the importance of the abbey…”