Detail of The Harts Apse: The Harts at the Spring

5th century
Mosaic
West apse, mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy

Two harts approach an elliptical figure that apparently represents water, referring to Psalm 41:2, "As the hart panteth after the fountains of water; so my soul panteth after thee, O God." Their approach is echoed by doves at water sources in the drum lunette above and the one in the east apse.

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Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.