N().2111. MEDEBA MOSAIC MAP OF PALESTINE— CA8AN0WI0Z. 367 



xxxiv, 4; Joshua xv, 3; Judges i, 36; see Josephus, Antiquities, 

 XII, 8, l).i 



Neajyolis — modern Nablus, and Sychem or Sikima in the region of 

 Salem, which Jacob gave to Joseph, and Sychar, where is the well of 

 Jacob. — These three places are usually identified with one another. 

 The mosaist has correctly separated them. For Neapolis was not 

 (xactly situated on the site of Shechem, and Sychar is one mile east 

 of Shechem.^ For the expression, "Sychem in the region of Salem" 

 see Genesis xxxiii, 18. There is at present east of Nablus a village 

 called Salim (Jacoby, Das geographische Mosaic von Madaba, p. 81). 

 Sychar and the well of Jacob are mentioned in John iv, 5, in the 

 story of the conversation of Jesus with the Samaritan woman. There 

 is stiU at present a place named Askar near Nablus which is usually 

 identified with Sychar of the Gospel (Jacoby, p. 82, see also Clermont- 

 Gaimeau, PEFQS, 1901, p. 237). 



To the right of Neapolis is the picture of a building with a round 

 tower and over it the inscription Sanctuary of the Holy Elisa. — It rep- 

 resents the sancutary erected on the site of the spring whose bitter 

 waters the prophet EUsha rendered sweet, as related in II Bangs ii, 

 19-22. Underneath. 



Tour Gohel and down to the left, Tour Garizin — ^The mountains 

 Ebal and Gerizim from which the curses and blessings respectively 

 were pronounced, while haK of the tribes stood on one mount and 

 half on the other (Deuteronomy xi, 29; xxvii, 13; Joshua viii, 33.) 

 On the original, these mountains are also represented near Jericho 

 under the names of Gebal and Garizeini. This double placing of the 

 mountain pair is also found in Eusebius (OS, p. 64). There were 

 two traditions as regards the site of the two mountains. The Samari- 

 tans and many Arabian geographers place them near Neapolis, while 

 Eusebius, (OS) located them in the neighborhood of Jericho and Gilgal. 

 The mosaic takes account of both traditions and apparently giving 

 preference to the probably more correct one of the Samaritans. 



Below is a renmant of the name of EpJiraim and the blessing relating 

 to Joseph and Ephraim which has been already quoted (p. 363). 



On detached fragments, next to the margin, are the five letters of 

 the legend connected mth the tribe of Zehulon (Za. . .Kes) for which 

 see above (p. 363), and Aghar — Lagrange would identify it with Akha- 

 bara mentioned in Josephus, War II, 20, 6 and Joseph, Life, 37, as a 

 town in Upper Galilee, while Clermont-Ganneau (PEFOS, 1901, p. 

 240) sees in it the town of Gabarah or Gabaroth of Josephus, Life 10, 

 25, 45 and 47^ considering the A as prosthetic. 



1 Schulten, Die Mosaikkarte von Madaba, p. 8; compare E. Schuerer, Geschichte des juedischen Volkes 

 ira Zeitalter Jesu Christi, ed. 2, Leipzig, 1S86, vol. 11, p. 13S, n. 437. 



' See George Adam Smith, The historical geography of the Holy Land, I>ondon, 1904, pp. 3tj7-372; 

 PEFQS, 1878, p. 114. 



