Deborah and Yael at Huqoq.

“One of the most beautiful treasures of the Roman era.”

The Madaba map.

With photographs.

Noah’s ark and the splitting of the Red Sea.

The best of the Roman tradition.

Archaeologists have uncovered a handful of synagogues from the talmudic period (ca. 70 – 600 CE), mostly in the northern parts of Israel. Some of. . .

Now on public display at the National Gallery: a shimmering, large-scale outdoor mosaic originally created by Marc Chagall as a gift for American friends.  

The Maccabees against the Greeks? Alexander the Great meets the high priest? At a 5th-century synagogue in Galilee, researchers are still uncertain what they’ve found.

At a fifth-century synagogue in Galilee, researchers have uncovered images not easily linked to any biblical narrative. So far, their meaning remains elusive.  

Why do so many ancient synagogue mosaics in Israel feature pagan symbols? (2012)