Hammat Tiberias Synagogue
Encyclopedia
The Hammat Tiberias Synagogue, (Hebrew: Beit Knesset Hamat Tveriya) also known as the Severus synagogue, is an ancient synagogue
on the outskirts of Tiberias, Israel
, located near the hot springs just south of the city.
, was a watershed event in the history of Israeli archaeology
as the first archaeological dig conducted under Jewish auspices. A limestone menorah
uncovered there is now on display at the Israel Museum
.
The second synagogue site, excavated by Moshe Dothan, is noted for its elaborate mosaic
floor. The synagogue, dated to the last half of the fourth century C.E., was named after an inscription that reads, in Greek, "Severus the pupil of the most illustrious patriarchs," an apparent reference to the leaders of the Jewish community.
In the center of one large mosaic is the Sun god, Helios
, sitting in his chariot holding the celestial sphere and a whip. Nine of the 12 signs of the zodiac
survived intact. Another panel shows a Torah ark flanked by two the seven-branched menorahs and other Jewish ritual objects.
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
on the outskirts of Tiberias, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, located near the hot springs just south of the city.
History
Two synagogue sites have been excavated at Hammat Tiberias. The first, uncovered in 1921 by Nachum Slouschz, working under the sponsorship of the Jewish Palestine Exploration SocietyIsrael Exploration Society
The Israel Exploration Society was founded in 1914 as the Society for the Reclamation of Antiquities, then renamed the Jewish Palestine Exploration Society...
, was a watershed event in the history of Israeli archaeology
Archaeology of Israel
The archaeology of Israel is the study of the archaeology of Israel, stretching from prehistory through three millennia of documented history. The ancient Land of Israel was a geographical bridge between the political and cultural centers of Mesopotamia and Egypt...
as the first archaeological dig conducted under Jewish auspices. A limestone menorah
Menorah
The menorah is described in the Bible as the seven-branched ancient lampstand made of gold and used in the portable sanctuary set up by Moses in the wilderness and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. Fresh olive oil of the purest quality was burned daily to light its lamps...
uncovered there is now on display at the Israel Museum
Israel Museum
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem was founded in 1965 as Israel's national museum. It is situated on a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem, near the Bible Lands Museum, the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
.
The second synagogue site, excavated by Moshe Dothan, is noted for its elaborate mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
floor. The synagogue, dated to the last half of the fourth century C.E., was named after an inscription that reads, in Greek, "Severus the pupil of the most illustrious patriarchs," an apparent reference to the leaders of the Jewish community.
In the center of one large mosaic is the Sun god, Helios
Helios
Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Homer often calls him simply Titan or Hyperion, while Hesiod and the Homeric Hymn separate him as a son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia or Euryphaessa and brother of the goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn...
, sitting in his chariot holding the celestial sphere and a whip. Nine of the 12 signs of the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
survived intact. Another panel shows a Torah ark flanked by two the seven-branched menorahs and other Jewish ritual objects.