Mosaics uncovered at fifth century synagogue in Galilee

This summer, excavations directed by UNC-Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences professor Jodi Magness revealed stunning new mosaics that decorated the floor of the Late Roman (fifth century) synagogue in the ancient Jewish village of Huqoq.

A section of the mosaic showing a theater mask uncovered in summer 2015 at 
an archaeological dig in the town of Huqoq in northern Israel 
[Credit: Jim Haberman]

The Huqoq excavations, located in Israel’s Lower Galilee, are co-directed by Shua Kisilevitz of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Work has continued each summer since the 2012 excavation when the mosaics were first discovered at the site.

A mosaic discovered in the synagogue’s east aisle in 2013 and 2014 depicts three horizontal registers (strips) containing human and animal figures, including elephants. The top register, which is the largest, shows a meeting between two men, who perhaps are intended to represent Alexander the Great and a Jewish high priest according to Magness’s findings. It was the first time a non-biblical story had been found decorating any ancient synagogue.

During this summer’s dig, Magness and her colleagues uncovered additional portions of this mosaic, as well as the rest of a mosaic immediately adjacent to it, which is connected with a Hebrew dedicatory inscription that was uncovered in 2012.

A section of the mosaic showing an elephant discovered in 2013. This section 
is part of the larger mosaic exposed in summer 2015 
[Credit: Jim Haberman]

New digging reveals that the inscription is in the center of a large square panel with human figures, animals and mythological creatures arranged symmetrically around it, Magness said. These include winged putti (cupids) holding roundels (circular discs) with theater masks, muscular male figures wearing trousers who support a garland, a rooster, and male and female faces in a wreath encircling the inscription. Putti and masks are associated with Dionysos (Bacchus), who was the Greco-Roman god of wine and theater performances, she said.

This summer’s excavations also brought to light columns inside the synagogue covered with plaster and painted ivy leaf designs.

“The images in these mosaics — as well as their high level of artistic quality — and the columns painted with vegetal motifs have never been found in any other ancient synagogue,” Magness said. “These are unique discoveries.”

A section of the mosaic showing Samson carrying the gate of Gaza discovered in 2013 
at an archaeological dig in the town of Huqoq in northern Israel 
[Credit: Jim Haberman]

In 2012, a mosaic showing Samson and the foxes, as related in the Bible’s Judges 15:4, was first discovered in the synagogue’s east aisle. The next summer, a second mosaic was found that shows Samson carrying the gate of Gaza on his shoulders, from Judges 16:3.

“It is not clear if there is a thematic connection between the Samson scenes and the other mosaics in the east aisle,” Magness added.

The mosaics have been removed from the site for conservation, and the excavated areas have been backfilled. Excavations are scheduled to continue in summer 2016.

Source: North Carolina at Chapel Hill [July 13, 2015]