Courtesy: Jim Haberman
UNC-Chapel Hill participants on the Huqoq dig (including grad students and alumni).
Bottom row from left to right (seated): David Richman; Christine Stamey; Aislynn Grantz; Madison Brinkley; Suzy Lagunas.
Top row from left to right (standing): Emily Branton; Jodi Magness; Jocelyn Burney; Matthew Grey; Grace Curry; Jada Enoch (top right).
A UNC team recently uncovered 1,600-year-old mosaics in an ancient Jewish synagogue in Israel.
The Huqoq excavation, led by UNC professor Jodi Magness, discovered the first known depictions of biblical figures Deborah and Jael from the book of Judges.
The excavation is focused on Israel’s Lower Galilee. The team focused on the southwest portion of the synagogue which is estimated to have been built in the late fourth or early fifth century.
During the latest dig, the team discovered a mosaic panel depicting a scene from chapter 4 of the book of Judges. The scene covers the victory from Israeli prophetess and judge Deborah and military commander Barak over the Canaanite army.
A portion of the newly uncovered mosaic depicts Deborah under a palm tree looking at Barak holding a shield. Another visible scene shows the story of Canaanite general Sisera being killed in his sleep by a Kenite woman named Jael after Sisera took refuge in her tent.
Courtesy: Jim Haberman
The Israelite commander Barak depicted in the Huqoq synagogue mosaic.
“This is the first depiction of this episode and the first time we’ve seen a depiction of the biblical heroines Deborah and Jael in ancient Jewish art,” Magness said in a release from the university. “Looking at the book of Joshua chapter 19, we can see how the story might have had special resonance for the Jewish community at Huqoq, as it is described as taking place in the same geographical region – the territory of the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon.”
The depictions of Deborah and Jael are not the only discoveries from Magness’ excavation. Another mosaic depicts four animals, a hare, fox, leopard and boar, eating a cluster of grapes.
Courtesy: Jim Haberman Mosaic depicting a fox eating grapes in the ancient synagogue at Huqoq, Israel
The Huquq excavation first discovered mosaics on the site in 2012. During its past ten seasons of archaeological digs have found depictions of Samson, Hebrew inscriptions and the first non-biblical story of a meeting between Alexander the Great and a Jewish high priest ever found within an ancient synagogue.
Other panels within the synagogue depict the stories of Noah’s Ark, Moses parting the Red Sea, Jonah being swallowed by fish and the construction of the Tower of Babel.
The excavation is sponsored by UNC, Austin College, Baylor University, Brigham Young University and the University of Toronto. The mosaics have been removed from the site for conservation with more excavations scheduled for next summer.
Featured image via Jim Haberman
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