Isfiya

Other Name: Husifah
Religion: Jewish

Archaeological Evidences:

Period: Late Roman and/or Byzantine
Excavation: Excavated
Excavators: Naim Makhouly and Michael Avi Yonah (1933).
Main Finds: Columns and mosaic with inscriptions, menorahs, other ritual objects, and part of zodiac.
Inscriptions: Hebrew and Aramaic (Naveh 1978: 65-68, CIIP V/1: 1002-1007).
Mosaics: Yes.
Site Condition: Some of the mosaic is visible on site, located on private property, requires permission.

Geographic Details

Geographical Region: Carmel
672, עיספיא, ישראל

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Selected Bibliography:

Selected Bibliography
  1. Makhouly, M. and Avi-Yonah, M. "A Sixth-century Synagogue At ‘isfiya: I, Excavation Report; II, The Mosaic Pavement, The Inscription, Conclusion" The Quarterly of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine III, 1934: 118-131.
  2. Price, J. J. and Yardeni, A. "Ḥusifa (mod. ʿIsfiya)" in Corpus Inscriptionum Iudaeae/Palaestinae. ed. W. Ameling et. al., V/Part 1: Galilaea and Northern Regions, Berlin/Boston, De Gruyter, 2023: 1002-1007.
  3. Avi-Yonah, M. "A Sixth-Century Synagogue at Isfiya" Quaterly of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine 3, 1934: 118-131.
  4. Avi Yonah, M. "Husaifa" The New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land. 1993: 637-638.
Bibliographic citation of this page
Ben David, C. Osband, M. Aviam, M. Site: ‘Synagogues.Kinneret.ac.il’, The Bornblum Eretz Israel Website for the Study of Ancient Synagogues, accessed on 26 June 2026, https://synagogues.kinneret.ac.il/synagogues/isfiya/

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Photos

Plans and Drawings:

Plans

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