When we talk about late Roman and Byzantine art, we’re inevitably talking about mosaics. The art of composing images with colored tesserae, inherited from classical Greek decorative arts, reached an unparalleled level of mastery in Byzantium. Byzantine mosaic techniques were then adopted by both the Islamic world and the Christian West, and used widely in churches, synagogues, Umayyad palaces, civil buildings, and even wealthy people’s homes. 

While most of these delicate treasures have been lost, archaeology in the Holy Land (and particularly in Jordan) has been giving researchers some beautiful surprises. The most impressive one was discovered by Christian masons when they were rebuilding the church of St. George in Madaba, back in the late 19th century. In 1896, a mosaic of enormous proportions came to light, immediately capturing the attention of scholars –and not just because of its size, or its exceptional artistic quality. 

A great map

To begin with, the Madaba Mosaic is currently about 16x5 meters, but it was probably bigger—about 21x7. It shows all the major cities and villages in the Levantine region, from Lebanon to the Nile Delta, and from the Mediterranean to the Jordanian desert, as it was in the 6th century AD. It is obviously a real godsend for historians and archaeologists. 

What makes this map so special is its precision. It features all sort of details regarding places described in Scripture. For example, the map includes a detailed representation of Jerusalem’s walls, streets, and main buildings –the Church of the Holy Sepulchre included. Since most of these buildings have either changed or disappeared over time, the mosaic is a privileged window into what the area really looked like in early medieval times. 

The map also shows other important landmarks, like the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Including these areas helps archaeologists understand the layout and importance of these places in ancient times. The use of at least eight different colors to represent cities, landscapes, (and even flora and fauna) adds yet another layer of information, providing clues about the ecology and geography of the region at the time.

But why such a large map?

Since the mosaic was discovered during the reconstruction of the ruins of the church of St. George, it seemed like the map had an eminently spiritual significance. But over time, some scholars have noticed that something doesn’t seem to fit.

One of the most widely accepted theories is that the map was used by Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Having such a detailed map in the early 6th century would have been tremendously useful for those visiting the holy sites – from the Baptism Site to Mount Nebo and beyond.

But this hypothesis has one obvious objection. A mosaic map on the floor is not exactly practical for pilgrims who probably planned their journey long before reaching Madaba. Indeed, the map seems to "forget" some other places which we know were already deemed major pilgrimage destinations.

Another way to look at the map (a decidedly more “theological” one) is that it was designed to show God’s plan of salvation from a distinctly Christian perspective. This theory suggests that the map purposely placed Jerusalem at the center of the map, highlighting its importance in Christian history as the place where Jesus died and rose from the grave. The inclusion of biblical quotations seems to support this theory.

However, this hypothesis also has a problem: the map doesn't include relevant places quoted in the Gospels. Indeed, the Madaba Map is oriented from north to south, while Christian churches from that period were usually oriented from east to west.

New perspectives

There is a different approach to this mystery. Based on testimonies recorded from the workers who first found the mosaic said, that the map was even bigger than the church they were rebuilding. That is, the mosaic wasn’t originally meant to be in a church. It was probably designed for a much larger building, like a palace or a civil building. That is, its use wasn’t primarily religious, but political. Of course, this third hypothesis has not yet been fully verified.

But if you go there, guides will show you a remarkable detail that oftentimes goes unnoticed. The map shows two fish, one swimming away from the Dead Sea and another towards it, in the Jordan River. Fish can’t survive in the Dead Sea, which is known for its extremely salty water. Historians and archaeologists have argued that these fish represent a meeting point for Christians, specifically Bethabara or Bethany-Beyond-The-Jordan, which is indeed mentioned in the Gospels. 

This location is significant because that’s where tradition says Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan (2 Kings 2) and where John the Baptist began his ministry. Indeed, Matthew’s Gospel identifies John as the fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy. The Gospel of John identifies this area as the place where Jesus was baptized. That is, the Madaba Map might be marking the place of Jesus’ baptism as a meeting point for Christians as early as in the 6th century. 

So, the Madaba Mosaic is still a fascinating enigma that combines art, history, and spirituality, and offers a unique window into the past. No matter what it was used for, one thing is clear: it’s a masterpiece of antiquity that still captivates all who see it.