Gaza

Religion: Jewish

Archaeological Evidences:

Period: Late Roman and/or Byzantine
Excavation: Excavated
Excavators: Asher Ovadiah (1967. 1976)
Main Finds: Columns and apse. Mosaic with depiction of King David.
Inscriptions: Hebrew (Naveh 1978: 91: CIIP Vol. 3: 432-433), Greek (Roth-Gerson 1987: 91-97; Werlin 2015: 257-260: CIIP Vol 3: 430-432, 434-441)
Mosaics: yes
Site Condition: Unknown. Mosiac floor on display at the Good Samaritan Museum. Entrance Fee.
Greek inscription, Ovadiah 1969 plate 15 b, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society

Geographic Details

Geographical Region: Coastal Plain

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Selected Bibliography:

Selected Bibliography
  1. Ovadia, A. "The Synagogue at Gaza" Qadmoniot: A Journal for the Antiquities of Eretz-Israel and Bible Lands 4, 1968: 127-124, (Hebrew).
  2. Ovadia, A. "Excavations in the Area of the Ancient Synagogue at Gaza" Israel Exploration Journal 19, 1969: 193-198.
  3. Ovadia, A. "The Synagogue at Gaza" in Ancient Synagogues Revealed. ed. L.I. Levine, Jerusalem, 1981: 129-131.
  4. Ovadiah, A. "Gaza" The New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land. 1993: 465-467.
  5. Werlin, S. The Late Ancient Synagogues of Southern Palestine. Leiden, 2015: 237-262.
  6. Avi-Yonah, M. "The Discovery of an Ancient Synagogue at Gaza" Bulletin of the Israel Exploration Society 30, 1966: 221-223, (Hebrew).

Photos:

Photos
The "David" mosaic, Ovadiah 1981: 130, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The "David" mosaic, Ovadiah 1981: 130, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society
Greek inscription, Ovadiah 1969 plate 15 b, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Greek inscription, Ovadiah 1969 plate 15 b, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society
Ovadiah 1981: 131. Courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Medalions with Animal Figures | Ovadiah 1981: 131. Courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society
Mosaic, Ovadiah 1968: plate c, photo by Micha Pan, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Mosaic, Ovadiah 1968: plate c, photo by Micha Pan, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society
Fragment of mosaic, The Museum of the Good Samaritan, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Fragment of mosaic, The Museum of the Good Samaritan, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
Fragment of mosaic, The Museum of the Good Samaritan, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Fragment of mosaic, The Museum of the Good Samaritan, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
Fragment of mosaic, The Museum of the Good Samaritan, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Fragment of mosaic, The Museum of the Good Samaritan, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
Avi- Yonah 1966: Plate 12 Fig. 1. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Greek Inscription | Avi- Yonah 1966: Plate 12 Fig. 1. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Avi-Yonah 1966: Plate 12 Fig. 2. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The David Mosiac | Avi-Yonah 1966: Plate 12 Fig. 2. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Ovadia 1968: Plate 3. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The Outer Southern Mosiac Floor- Looking East | Ovadia 1968: Plate 3. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society

Plans and Drawings:

Plans
Ovadia 1993: 464, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Ovadia 1993: 464, courtesy of Asher Ovadiah and the Israel Exploration Society

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The Bornblum Chair in Land of Israel Studies

Research Center of Ancient Synagogue in the Land of Israel

Department of Land of Israel Studies

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