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Samaritan Synagogue Discovered near Beth Shean

From the Israel Antiquities Authority:

According to Dr. Walid Atrash and Mr. Ya’aqov Harel, directors of the excavation for the Israel Antiquities Authority, “The discovery of another Samaritan synagogue in the agricultural hinterland south of Bet She’an supplements our existing knowledge about the Samaritan population in this period. It seems that the structures uncovered there were built at the end of the fifth century CE and they continued to exist until the eve of the Muslim conquest in 634 CE, when the Samaritans abandoned the complex. The synagogue that is currently being revealed played an important part in the lives of the farmers who inhabited the surrounding region, and it served as a center of the spiritual, religious and social life there. In the Byzantine period (fourth century CE) Bet She’an became an important Samaritan center under the leadership of Baba Rabbah, at which time the Samaritans were granted national sovereignty and were free to decide their own destiny. This was the case until the end of the reign of Emperor Justinian, when the Samaritans revolted against the government. The rebellion was put down and the Samaritans ceased to exist as a nation”.
The building that was exposed consisted of a rectangular hall (5 x 8 meters), the front of which faces southwest, toward Mount Gerizim, which is sacred to Samaritans. Five rectangular recesses were built in the walls of the prayer hall in which wooden benches were probably installed. The floor of the hall was a colorful mosaic, decorated with a geometric pattern. In the center of the mosaic is a Greek inscription, of which a section of its last line was revealed:

T[]OUTON NEWN
meaning “This is the temple”.

The full press release and four high-resolution photos are available here (temporary link).

Samaritan synagogue and farmstead. Photograph: SKYVIEW, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Samaritan synagogue inscription: “This is the temple.” Photograph courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Tagged Discoveries, Samaria

Ritmeyer on the American Colony Photo Collection

Leen Ritmeyer writes:

I felt like a kid in a candy store when I viewed the “American Colony and Eric Matson Collection” of more than 4,000 photographs of sites and scenes from Palestine (as Israel was called then), Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. My attention was immediately drawn to Volume 2: The Temple Mount and it was exciting to see pictures of views that cannot be seen anymore or of places that are now inaccessible. I have been in most of the underground places on the Temple Mount, such as the Golden Gate, the Double and Triple Gate passages and Solomon’s Stables, but was never able to enter the interior of Barclay’s Gate. It was therefore fascinating to see pictures taken in the 1940′s of the interior and see the views which I only knew from the survey drawings of Charles Warren. Each photograph is described by Tom Powers and his comments are very helpful.

You can read the rest here. You can purchase the entire collection of 4,000 high-resolution images for only $99 here. You can download for free the Temple Mount photos that Ritmeyer mentions here.

Tagged American Colony Photos

The Sacrificial Lamb

Today is Yom Kippur, the most holy day of the biblical calendar, and the day when atonement was made for the sin of the nation (Lev 16:1-34; 23:26-32). Jews all over the world observe this day by afflicting themselves through fasting. Christians generally ignore this day, with the result that they have less understanding of and less appreciation for what Jesus did on the cross.

A good start to remedy this failure is by watching the video that SourceFlix released today. In just nine minutes, they show the need for a sacrifice, the death of an animal, and the fulfillment in Jesus.

The video is well-produced and it avoids showing the most graphic scenes. I have been teaching through the book of Isaiah and this comes just in time for me to help the class better understand the imagery of chapter 53. I also envision using this video for teaching about Passover.

I recommend that you watch it, show your kids, and tell your friends. For the ancient Israelites and those who stood at the foot of the cross, the concept of a sacrificial lamb was not words on a page.

Tagged Samaria

Greek Goddess Found in Byzantine Hippos

A wall painting of the Greek goddess of fortune was discovered in excavations this season at Hippos (Sussita). From the Jerusalem Post:

A wall painting (fresco) of Tyche, the Greek goddess of fortune, was exposed during the 11th season of excavation at the Sussita site, on the east shore of the Sea of Galilee, according to a University of Haifa statement released Thursday.
During the season of excavation, which was conducted by researchers of the University of Haifa, another female figure was found, of a maenad, one of the companions of the wine god Dionysus.
“It is interesting to see that although the private residence in which two goddesses were found was in existence during the Byzantine period, when Christianity negated and eradicated idolatrous cults, one can still find clear evidence of earlier beliefs,” said Prof. Arthur Segal and Dr. Michael Eisenberg of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa, who headed the excavation.

The story continues here. You can see several enlargeable photos here.

HT: Joe Lauer

Tagged Discoveries, Galilee

Picturesque Palestine: Some Answers

Some have had questions or difficulties in taking advantage of the special offer for Picturesque Palestine. To that end, we have just posted some answers.

Tagged Resources

Muslims Building Wall above Garden Tomb

Most visitors to the Garden Tomb do not realize that a Muslim cemetery sits on the hilltop above.

But it is construction work in one cemetery that is recently alleged to threaten the safety of those in another. The original story in Ma’ariv is summarized in the Caspari Media Review:

According to this report, the Wakf – the Islamic trust most well-known for controlling and managing the Islamic edifices on the Temple Mount – is currently building a wall above the Garden Tomb, “an historic site important to Christianity,” which is “threatening to undermine relations between the three faiths in the city.” The work is part of the maintenance and expansion of the Muslim cemetery located above the Garden Tomb. “Thus far, high wooden foundations of a height of two meters have been laid at the site, and the work is due to be completed by the addition of concrete on top of the wooden beams.”
The managers of the Garden Tomb have protested, fearing that the wall might fall on tourists coming to visit the site. “‘They didn’t show us any plans or ask for our agreement regarding the building work,’ says Steve Bridge, the deputy manager. ‘More than a quarter of a million pilgrims visit the site, and a disaster may occur if something is not done properly. Three or four hundred worshippers stand right under the wall every day. Were it to fall while there are visitors here, there might well be a catastrophe the like of which we’ve never seen.'”
The managers of the Garden Tomb are also worried that the incident might lead to “irreversible damage” to the tomb itself – which in turn would spark a serious crisis in Jewish-Muslim relations in Jerusalem and internationally. “‘It’s a scandal,’ added Bridge. ‘We’ve turned to them with a list of questions, and I hope that we will receive satisfactory answers.'” According to the municipality, the building was begun without permission and in contravention of the customary procedures. The Wakf announced that they intend to sort out the problems with both the municipality and the Garden Tomb.

The Muslim cemetery sits atop the hill of the “skull” (center) and the tomb (off the edge to the left).

Tom Powers recently wrote about D. L. Moody’s troubles when preaching in this cemetery.

Tagged Jerusalem