Wadi Hamam

Other Name: Horvat Veradim
Religion: Jewish

Archaeological Evidences:

Period: Late Roman and/or Byzantine
Excavation: Excavated
Excavators: Uzi Leibner (2007-2012)
Main Finds: Columns, benches and bema. Mosaic with Biblical scenes and inscriptions.
Inscriptions: Aramaic (Leibner and Miller 2010: 241, 249, CIIP V/1: 670-674).
Mosaics: Yes
Site Condition: Open to the public.
Samson mosaic, courtesy of Uzi Leibner

Geographic Details

Geographical Region: Lower Galilee

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Selected Bibliography:

Selected Bibliography
  1. Price, J. J. "Kh. Wadi Ḥamam" in Corpus Inscriptionum Iudaeae/Palaestinae. ed. W. Ameling et. al., V/Part 1: Galilaea and Northern Regions, Berlin/Boston, De Gruyter, 2023: 670-674.
  2. Magness, J. "The Date of the Khirbet Wadi Hamam Synagogue(s): An Analysis" in Ancient Synagogues in Palestine: A Re-evaluation Nearly a Century After Sukenik’s Schweich Lectures. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2024: 43-61.
  3. Leibner, U. and Arubas, B. "Invisible Synagogues of the Second Temple Period" 180, 2022: 9-32.
  4. Leibner, U. "The Synagogue at Khirbet Wadi Ḥamam" in Ancient Synagogues Revealed: 1981-2022. ed. L. I. Levine, Z. Weiss, U. Leibner, Jerusalem, Israel Exploration Society, 2023: 66-77.
  5. Aviam, M. "The Wadi Hamam Synagogue- Book review" Qadmoniot 160, 2020: 129-131, (Hebrew).
  6. Miller, S. and U, Leibner "The Synagogue Mosaic" in Khirbet Wadi Hamam: A Roman-Period Village and Synagogue in the Lower Galilee. ed. Leibner, U, Jerusalem, Qedem Reports 13, 2018: 144-186.
  7. Leibner, U. Khirbet Wadi Ḥamam: A Roman-Period Village and Synagogue in the Lower Galilee. Qedem Reports 13, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Institute of Archaeology, 2018.
  8. Leibner, U. "Khirbet Wadi Ḥamam: A Roman Period Village and Synagogue in the Galilee" Qadmoniot: A Journal for the Antiquities of Eretz-Israel and Bible Lands 130, 2010: 30-40, (Hebrew).
  9. Xeravits, G. G. "The Figure of Moses in Ancient Synagogue Art" WUNT 390, 2017: 415-428.
  10. Leibner, U. and Miller, S. "A Figural Mosaic in the Synagogue at Khirbet Wadi Hamam" Journal of Roman Archeology 23, 2010: 238-264.
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 15 June 2026, https://synagogues.kinneret.ac.il/synagogues/wadi-hamam/

Photos:

Photos
Aerial view, courtesy of Uzi Leibner © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Aerial view, courtesy of Uzi Leibner
Mosaic, courtesy of Uzi Leibner © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Mosaic, courtesy of Uzi Leibner
Samson mosaic, courtesy of Uzi Leibner © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Samson mosaic, courtesy of Uzi Leibner
Leibner 2010: 35 Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
The Synagogue- Looking North- The Bema and the mosaic beneath | Leibner 2010: 35 Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Leibner 2010: 34. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Architectural items on the Northern-Western Corner of the syangogue | Leibner 2010: 34. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society
Leibner 2010: 38. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society © <i> synagogues.kinneret.ac.il </i>
Western Aisle Mosaic | Leibner 2010: 38. Courtesy of the Israel Exploration Society

Plans and Drawings:

Plans

Links: