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Susiya

Religion: Jewish

Archaeological Evidences:

Period: Late Roman and/or Byzantine
Excavation: Excavated
Excavators: Shmarya Gutman, Zeev Yevin and Ehud Netzer (1969-1972)
Main Finds: Broadhouse. Benches, stone bema, marble bema, atrium, narthex and internal apse. Mosaic with menorahs and other depictions.
Inscriptions: Hebrew and Aramaic (Naveh 1978: 114-125; Werlin 2015: 142-164, CIIP IV/2: 1415-1436).
Mosaics: yes
Site Condition: Tourist site with entrance fee.
The small Bema on the northern side, Gilead Peli all rights reserved

Geographic Details

Geographical Region: South Hebron Mountains

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Selected Bibliography:

Selected Bibliography
  1. Yardeni, A. and Price, J. J. "Susiya" in Corpus Inscriptionum Iudaeae/Palaestinae. ed. W. Ameling et. al., IV/Part 2: Iudaea / Idumaea, Berlin/Boston, De Gruyter, 2018: 1415-1436.
  2. Gutman, S. , Yeivin, Z. and Netzer, E. "Excavations in the Synagogue at Khirbet Susiya" Qadmoniot: A Journal for the Antiquities of Eretz-Israel and Bible Lands 2, 1972: 47-52, (Hebrew).
  3. Werlin, S. The Late Ancient Synagogues of Southern Palestine. Leiden, 2015: 136-199.
  4. Spigel, C.S. Ancient Synagogue Seating Capacities. Tubingen, 2012: 309-314.
  5. Yeivin, Z. "Khirbet Susiya - The 'Bema' and Synagogue Ornamentation" in Ancient Synagogues in Israel; Third-Seventh Century C.E. ed. R. Hachlili, Bar International Series 499, Oxford, 1989: 93-98.
  6. Yevin, Z. "Inscribed Marble Fragments from the Khirbet Susiya Synagogue" Israel Exploration Journal 24, 1974: 201-209.
  7. Yevin, Z. "Susiya" The New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land. 1993: 1417-1421.
  8. Baruch, Y. "H. Susiya- The Chronology of the Site in Light of Recent Excavation" Judea and Samaria Research Studies 14, Ariel, 2005: 159-166, (Hebrew).
  9. Gutman, S. and Yevin, Z. "Excavation in the Synagogue at Horvat Susiya" in Ancient Synagogues Revealed. ed. L.I. Levine, Jerusalem, 1981: 123-128.
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 22 June 2025, https://synagogues.kinneret.ac.il/synagogues/susiya/

Photos:

Photos
General view, Gilead Peli all rights rereved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
General view, Gilead Peli all rights rereved
General view looking east, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
General view looking east, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
General view looking west, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
General view looking west, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
Bema on northern wall, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Bema on northern wall, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
The small Bema on the northern side, Gilead Peli all rights reserved © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The small Bema on the northern side, Gilead Peli all rights reserved
Gutman, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 48. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
General View- Looking South-East | Gutman, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 48. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Gutman, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 49. Cortesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The Small Bema and Mosiac with Menorah | Gutman, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 49. Cortesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Gutman, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 49. Cortesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The Southern Passageway | Gutman, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 49. Cortesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Gutamn, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 51. Courtesy of Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Hebrew Inscription | Gutamn, Yeivin and Netzer 1972: 51. Courtesy of Israel Exploration Society

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