Fragment of a Floor Mosaic: Adam and Eve, late 400s-early 500s (marble & stone tesserae)

This mosaic panel representing the Fall of Adam and Eve once formed part of a much larger mosaic decorating the floor of an early Byzantine church in northern Syria. Here, Adam and Eve are portrayed sharing the forbidden fruit while covering themselves with large leaves. At the top of the panel, a Greek inscription reads, "And he ate, and they were made naked," highlighting the two moments in the biblical narrative of the Fall that are depicted here. Inscription: at top: Greek inscription taken from Genesis III:7-8 that reads: "And they ate, [and they] were made naked." It is possible that the mosaic belonged to a pavement illustrating the Garden of Eden.