magdala stone

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Dec 28 Blog

Understanding the Jewish Menorah

The Jewish menorah—especially the Temple menorah, a seven-branched candelabra that stood in the Temple—is the most enduring and iconic Jewish symbol. But what did the Temple menorah actually look like? Learn more in this post and view a number of important menorah depictions from antiquity.

Dec 3 Blog

Ancient Synagogues in Israel and the Diaspora

By: Megan Sauter

Were there synagogues before the Romans destroyed the Temple, or did they develop only afterward? Communal structures from the Second Temple period have been discovered, but should they be considered synagogues even though they don’t share the major architectural feature common to post-destruction synagogues?

Oct 6 Blog

The Magdala Stone: The Jerusalem Temple Embodied

By: Jennifer Ristine

For a people living in the diaspora, unable to visit the Jerusalem Temple frequently, what kept the memory and centrality of the Temple fresh in their minds? An intriguing stone uncovered at the Galilean site of Magdala might offer a clue.

Sep 1 Blog

Discoveries in Mary Magdalene’s Hometown

By: Marek Dospěl

Following the discovery of a synagogue at Magdala on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, four ritual purification baths dating to Jesus’ time have been uncovered. These attest to the vibrant religious and social life of the local Jewish community just before it was crushed by the Romans in 67 C.E.

Nov 15 Blog

Museum of the Bible: Part Museum, Part Holy Land Experience

By: Robin Ngo

The Museum of the Bible is opening in Washington, DC. Take a look at some of the spectacular exhibition spaces and interactive rooms.

Jul 7 Blog

On Display in Rome: Images of the Temple Menorah

By: Fredric Brandfon

The Menorah: Worship, History and Myth, a major exhibition on display at the Vatican Museum and the Jewish Museum in Rome, provides dramatic images of the Temple Menorah.

Jan 4 Blog

Hanukkah Discovery: Ancient Menorah and Cross Carvings

By: Robin Ngo

Cave explorers in the Judean Shephelah found ancient carvings of a seven-branched menorah and a cross during the Hanukkah holiday.

Aug 9 Blog

The Fishy Secret to Ancient Magdala’s Economic Growth

By: Marcela Zapata-Meza

Historical sources say that the export of salted fish at Magdala was so successful that it soon became a self-sustaining town. What does the archaeology reveal?

Jul 8 Blog

Magdala 2016: Excavating the Hometown of Mary Magdalene

By: Marcela Zapata-Meza

Dr. Marcela Zapata-Meza introduces readers to the excavations at Magdala, a first-century C.E. fishing village and the hometown of Mary Magdalene in the Bible.

Apr 8 Blog

Ancient Bronze Marvels at Magdala

By: Robin Ngo

Excavations at Magdala, hometown of Mary Magdalene on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, have uncovered a 2,000-year-old decorated bronze incense shovel and a bronze jug.

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