The Color-Inlaid “Champlevé” Reliefs of the Synagogue at Sardis*

Abstract

One of the notable features of the Sardis Synagogue was its extensive decoration with floor mosaics, wall paintings, marble revetment, and opus sectile, with an ornamental relief arcade also appearing in the forecourt. Reliefs carved in the distinctive “champlevé” technique presented a series of arches with spandrels featuring vases, vines, and birds set against a reddish ground. The sculptural approach is not well known in the region, although examples of similar work have been reported across Europe and the east Mediterranean, most notably at Aizanoi, Antioch, and Kourion. Other fragments of incised and color-inlaid relief at Sardis suggest that the Synagogue arcade was carved by sculptors who were both familiar with the site and aware of broader trends in architectural ornament in the 6th century c.e. *Remembering Gene Kleinbauer (1937–2019)—teacher, mentor, and friend