Distant View of Eshtemoa Synagogue. The Eshtemoa Synagogue, located 15 km south of Hebron in as-Samu, West Bank, refers to the remains of an ancient Jewish synagogue dating from around the 4th-5th century CE. Eshtemoa, identified as modern as-Samu, was an ancient city named in the Bible.
During Roman and Byzantine period, Eshtemoa was described as a large Jewish village. The remains of the synagogue were identified by L. A. Mayer and A. Reifenberg in 1934, in which site they describe a recess in the wall, once used as a Torah Ark.
In 1969-70, a full excavation of the site revealed that the building occupied the most prominent site in the village. It was built in broadhouse style without columns and measured 13.3 m by 21.3 m. Entry was by any of three doors along its eastern side and one of the three niches recessed into the northern wall functioned as the Torah Ark.
The building housed a mosaic floor and displayed external ornamental carvings. Four seven-branched menorahs were discovered carved onto door lintels and one of them is displayed in Jerusalem's Rockefeller Museum.
After the Muslim conquest, the synagogue was converted into a mosque and a mihrab was added. The western wall is still standing to a height of 7 m. Many architectural elements of the building have been reused in the modern village.
During Roman and Byzantine period, Eshtemoa was described as a large Jewish village. The remains of the synagogue were identified by L. A. Mayer and A. Reifenberg in 1934, in which site they describe a recess in the wall, once used as a Torah Ark.
In 1969-70, a full excavation of the site revealed that the building occupied the most prominent site in the village. It was built in broadhouse style without columns and measured 13.3 m by 21.3 m. Entry was by any of three doors along its eastern side and one of the three niches recessed into the northern wall functioned as the Torah Ark.
The building housed a mosaic floor and displayed external ornamental carvings. Four seven-branched menorahs were discovered carved onto door lintels and one of them is displayed in Jerusalem's Rockefeller Museum.
After the Muslim conquest, the synagogue was converted into a mosque and a mihrab was added. The western wall is still standing to a height of 7 m. Many architectural elements of the building have been reused in the modern village.
Wikipedia ...