BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Explore the Huqoq Mosaics

Season after season, archaeologists have uncovered stunning mosaics at Huqoq’s synagogue in Galilee. From Biblical scenes to the first historical episode ever found in a synagogue, the mosaics’ themes never cease to amaze and surprise. Join us on a tour of the Huqoq synagogue—with its vivid mosaics and much more!
 

Read about the Huqoq mosaics in the BAS Library:

Jodi Magness, Shua Kisilevitz, Matthew Grey, Dennis Mizzi, Karen Britt, and Ra‘anan Boustan, “Inside the Huqoq Synagogue,” BAR, May/June 2019.

Karen Britt and Ra‘anan Boustan, “Artistic Influences in Synagogue Mosaics: Putting the Huqoq Synagogue in Context,” BAR, May/June 2019.

Jodi Magness, “Archaeological Views: A Lucky Discovery Complicates Life,” BAR, March/April 2015.

Jodi Magness, “Samson in the Synagogue,” BAR, January/February 2013.

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More on the Huqoq mosaics in Bible History Daily:

A Samson Mosaic from Huqoq: A Bible History Daily introduction to the Huqoq excavations.

New Huqoq Mosaics: The 2013 excavations revealed additional depictions of Samson in the Bible and a possible portrayal of a scene from the Apocrypha.

Huqoq 2014: Update from the Field: Huqoq excavation director Jodi Magness and mosaics specialist Karen Britt discuss a new mosaic discovered during the 2014 excavation season. Could the mosaic be a depiction of the legendary meeting between Alexander the Great and the Jewish high priest?

Jodi Magness Reflects on a Lucky Discovery: In her Archaeological Views column “A Lucky Discovery Complicates Life” in the March/April 2015 issue of BAR, Jodi Magness reflects on the consequences of discovering stunning mosaics at Huqoq.

Huqoq 2015: New Mosaics Unearthed at Huqoq Synagogue: The Huqoq Excavation Project has uncovered more stunning mosaics during the 2015 excavations in a fifth-century C.E. synagogue in the Galilee.

New Huqoq Mosaics: Noah’s Ark and Exodus Scenes: During the 2016 season at Huqoq, mosaics depicting two well-known Biblical stories were uncovered.

Huqoq 2017: Mosaics of Jonah and the Whale, the Tower of Babel and More: The 2017 excavation season at Huqoq unearthed more stunning mosaics depicting Greco-Roman and Biblical scenes, including the story of Jonah and the whale and the construction of the Tower of Babel.

Huqoq 2018: Mosaic Depicts Israelite Spies: The 2018 season revealed more Biblical mosaics, including one referencing Numbers 13:23.

Huqoq 2019: New Exodus Mosaic: Jodi Magness answers questions about the first ancient Jewish depiction of the Elim episode from the Book of Exodus found during the 2019 season.

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Analyze the ancient inscription at Huqoq:

In “Samson in the Synagogue” in the January/February 2013 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Jodi Magness presented the 2012 mosaic discoveries from Huqoq, including a mysterious depiction of two female faces flanking a Hebrew (or Aramaic) inscription. In this online exclusive, read a translation and analysis of the inscription by David Amit of the Israel Antiquities Authority along with a discussion of who these women may have been by University of Louisville’s Karen Britt.

Read David Amit’s “Mosaic Inscription from a Synagogue at Horvat Huqoq.”

Read Karen Britt’s “The Huqoq Synagogue Mosaics.”

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