Ezra and Nehemiah

The book of Ezra has no chapter 3:16, but I could go on in chapter 4 and use verse 3. Instead I have chosen to put Ezra and Nehemiah together as it's the same time period and also describes the same topic. 

Nehemiah 3:16

16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty.

Ezra before him and many men after Nehemiah started coming back from excile and had it in their hearts desire to rebuild the temple: the gates were burned and Jerusalem was still in ruins. 

They got a lot of opposition.

Once I started designing a few things came in mind:

There was a lot of prayer involved and answer to prayer too. I thought about a ladder as a symbol of prayer going up and down. A ladder also would have been used in a literal way.

There needed to be ruins, grave yards, sword and trowel ( 4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded.) And symbols of hope.

Lot of free motion, but I thought the wall was too solid. Risking cutting some layers away.....

I was nearly finished when I started writing the verse over and under the rainbow. I really didn't like it:( So I cut of the whole top part and instead used a black, mottled fabric. This way the sword and trowel could be hand stitched and be more visible. I am glad I took the pain. It's nearly done now. Need to darken the stones and do some more free motion stitching. I have done a lot of slow stitching on this as I thought it quite fitting with all the manual labour this is depicting. 

A bit stuck.

And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars, and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 2 Chronicles 3:16

This verse talks about the two massive pillars that stood in front of Solomon's temple. They even had names: Jachin and Boaz.
This verse especially describes the decoration on the capitals of these pillars.

I have compared 1 Kings 7:15-22 and 2 Kings 25:17 with Chronicles and have come to the conclusion that:
The pillars were made of bronze.
On top were 2 rows of pomegranates attached to chains.
Above that were nets of checker work and wreaths of chain work.
Above that was lily work.

Pomegranates made appropriate ornaments for the temple, not only because of their intrinsic beauty but also they appeared on the hight priest's robe (E. 28:33). OK I know what they look like. But what about nets of checker work or lily work?


No one knows exactly how these pillars must have looked, that's why I came across divers renderings when I googled.

I have been pondering over the design for a while now.....And I am very stuck.....I do have a slight idea (see my sketch book scribbles), but have no idea yet HOW to make it and WHICH technique to use and WHAT materials to choose.

I know I do procrastinate when I am in that state. I just have to start on testing a few things. Experimentation is the key here I guess. Let's start tomorrow :)

some pillar designs and pomegranates I came across.

which one is the most Biblically accurate

what to use??? paper, copper thread, silk, monoprinting??? Trying to use my stash.