Khirbet Dikke
Encyclopedia
The ed-Dikke Synagogue, located 3km north of the Sea of Galilee
on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, was an ancient synagogue
dating from around the 5th century CE.
in the 1880s.
In 1905, H. Kohl & C. Watzinger briefly investigated the site.
The building is thought to date form c. 460 CE and consists of a prayer hall measuring approx. 11 m (36 ft) by 14 m (46 ft). It was divided into three aisles by two rows of four columns each.
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee, also Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias , is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately in circumference, about long, and wide. The lake has a total area of , and a maximum depth of approximately 43 m...
on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, was an ancient synagogue
Oldest synagogues in the world
The designation oldest synagogue in the world requires careful definition. Many very old synagogues have been discovered in archaeological digs. Some synagogues have been destroyed and rebuilt several times on the same site, so, while the site or congregation may be ancient, the building may be...
dating from around the 5th century CE.
History
The synagogue, located at a site known as Khirbet ed-Dikke, was first identified by Gottlieb SchumacherGottlieb Schumacher
Gottlieb Schumacher was a German-American civil engineer, architect and archaeologist who was an important figure in the early archaeological explorations of Palestine....
in the 1880s.
In 1905, H. Kohl & C. Watzinger briefly investigated the site.
The building is thought to date form c. 460 CE and consists of a prayer hall measuring approx. 11 m (36 ft) by 14 m (46 ft). It was divided into three aisles by two rows of four columns each.