North Carolina Professor Uncovers Biblical Mosaics in an Ancient Synagogue

A panel from the synagoguePhoto byJim Haberman/ UNC

Jodi Magness, a Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, made a remarkable discovery at Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village in Israel's Lower Galilee. She found an ancient synagogue having mosaics of biblical characters and events.

Professor Magness specializes in teaching Early Judaism and has participated in over 20 excavation projects in Israel and Greece. She is a key member of the Huqoq excavation project, which uncovered the synagogue.

In the late Roman era synagogue, dating back to approximately 400 A.D., the team found a stunning mosaic panel. The panel is just inside the main entrance and features a mysterious Hebrew inscription framed within a wreath.

The surrounding imagery depicts lions resting their forepaws on bulls' heads, while a decorative border shows predatory animals chasing their prey.

During the excavation, the team also exposed sections of mosaic panels discovered in 2012 and 2013, which depict scenes from the biblical accounts of Samson. These newly exposed sections include a Philistine horseman and a dead Philistine soldier with a classically intriguing face. In 2022, previous excavations revealed a panel in the southwest aisle divided into three horizontal strips, illustrating the biblical stories of Deborah and Jael. These depictions are the earliest known representations of these heroic figures.

Other notable discoveries include a Hebrew inscription surrounded by human figures, animals, and mythological creatures, potentially depicting the legendary encounter between Alexander the Great and the Jewish high priest.

Panels showing Moses sending spies to Canaan, animal figures symbolizing kingdoms from the book of Daniel, depictions of Noah's Ark, the parting of the Red Sea, and the building of the Tower of Babel were also discovered.

Magness' team has determined that in the 14th century, the synagogue underwent expansion and renovation during the medieval period. This coincided with the establishment of an international highway connecting Cairo and Damascus and the rise of a tradition involving the nearby Tomb of Habakkuk, which attracted Jewish pilgrims.

As the team concludes their final season of excavations, they will transfer the excavated area to the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Keren Kayemet Le'Israel (Jewish National Fund). These organizations have plans to develop the site into a tourist attraction, ensuring that future generations can appreciate the extraordinary legacy of Huqoq's archaeological treasures