Khirbet Shema

Archaeological site located in Israel at the foot of Mount Meron

Khirbet Shema

The synagogue in Khirbet Shema

Shown within Israel

Alternative name| Teqoa of Galilee(?)
Location| Israel
Region| Northern District
Coordinates| 32°58′38″N 35°26′21″E﻿ / ﻿32.97722°N 35.43917°E﻿ / 32.97722; 35.43917
Type| settlement, synagogue, mausoleum
History
Founded| 180 CE
Abandoned| 417 CE
Periods| Roman to Byzantine period
Cultures| Jewish
Site notes
Excavation dates| 1970-1972
Condition| In ruins

Khirbet Shema[1] is an archaeological site located in Israel at the foot of Mount Meron. It features the ruins of a large Jewish village[2] of the Roman and Byzantine periods, including the remains of an ancient synagogue and a mausoleum. It may be identified with the ancient Teqoa of Galilee.

## Identification

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Several researchers have identified the site with the ancient Teqoa of Galilee (not to be confused with Teqoa, Judea), although no evidence has been discovered to verify this identification.[3]

## The site

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Khirbet Shema is the traditional burial site of Shammai, a contemporary and opponent of Hillel the Elder.The excavations conducted at the site in 1970-1971 revealed that has no archaeological evidence to this tradition.[3]

### Excavations

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Entrance to Jewish rock-cut burial cave

American archaeologist Eric M. Meyers excavated the site from 1970 to 1972 on behalf of the American Schools of Oriental Research. The area recovered exceeded six acres.

Excavations have uncovered a large mausoleum, numerous tombs and an ancient synagogue. Additionally, their work included "uncovering adjacent buildings and surrounding parts of the village".[4] Even by 1974, having worked with up to 80 people, no remnants of the synagogue's roof were found.

### Analysis

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Researchers have reviewed the "coins, glass, plaster, ceramic stone, bone, jewelry and some organic materials" found. Although "over 4,000 artifacts have been found in the excavations,"[4] there is little evidence of late Hellenistic colonization and the end of Roman times at the site.

The team's Co-head, Dr. James F. Strange, professor of biblical archeology at University of South Florida,[5] indicated that the ruins of the synagogue show it to be unique, both for the area and time of construction. "There were several factors which led us to believe the building was quite unlike any other synagogue in that part of Palestine."[4] Specific features he found noteworthy included "foundation walls .. nearly two feet thick, .. an entrance staircase .. stairs ten feet wide ... and a number of underground chambers."

The bulk of the coins[6] suggest that this area was populated from 180 to around 417 CE, when "the village was destroyed by an earthquake."

## Shape of the synagogue

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The synagogue in Khirbet Shema

Excavations done in "different sites in upper Galilee: Shema, Meiron, Gush Halav and Nabratein"[7] helped uncover more information about the debate as to "whether the earliest Galilean synagogues .. were built on a so-called basilical plan[8] .. as opposed to a broad building" known as "a broadhouse plan".[9] Khirbet Shema and two other ancient synagogues excavated around the same time all were broadhouse.

## Bibliography

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* Robert J. Bull, "Khirbet Shema", in: Israel Exploration Journal, 20: 232-34, 1970
* Robert J. Bull, "Khirbet Shema", in: American Journal of Archaeology, 75: 196-97, 1971
* Magness, Jodi (January 1997). "Synagogue Typology and Earthquake Chronology at Khirbet Shema', Israel". Journal of Field Archaeology. 24 (2): 211–220\. doi:10.1179/009346997792208221.
* Eric M. Meyers:
* "Horvat Shema ', the Settlement and the Synagogue", in: Qadmoniot, 5, 2: 58-61, 1972
* Ancient Synagogue Excavations at Khirbet Shema, Upper Galilee, Israel, 1970–72,[10] Cambridge: American Schools of Oriental Research, 1976[11]
* "Ancient Synagogues in Galilee: Their Religious and Cultural Significance", in: Biblical Archaeologist, 43, 2: 97-108, 1980
* With James F. Strange, Archeology, the Rabbis, and Early Christianity, Nashville: Abingdon, 1981
* "Stratigraphic and Ceramic Observations from the Medieval Strata of Khirbet Shema, Israel:
* Assessment of the Value of Scientific Analysis", in: Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research (en), 260: 61-69, 1985

## See also

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* Ancient synagogues in the Palestine region \- covers entire Palestine region/Land of Israel
* Ancient synagogues in Israel \- covers the modern State of Israel

* Archaeology of Israel
* List of synagogues in Israel

## Additional reading

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### Books

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* Ancient Synagogue Excavations at Khirbet Shema', Upper Galilee, Israel 1970-72. (Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research 42). Durham: Duke University Press, 1976. By A. Thomas Kraabel (With E.M. Meyers and J.F. Strange).

### Articles

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* "Khirbet Shema' et Meiron." (A. Thomas Kraabel) Revue biblique 80 (1973) 585-587 + P.. 34f.
* "Khirbet Shema' and Meiron." (A. Thomas Kraabel, With E. M. Meyers and J. F. Strange). Israel Exploration Journal 22 (1972) 174-176 + PI. 37f.

## References

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1. ^ or Khirbat Shema
2. ^ Killebrew, Ann E. (2010-08-19). "Village and Countryside". The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Daily Life in Roman Palestine. Oxford University Press. p. 5\. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199216437.013.0011.
3. ^ a b Meyers, Erik (1972). "Ḥurvat Shema' — The Settlement and the Synagogue". Qadmoniot: A Journal for the Antiquities of Eretz-Israel and Bible Lands (in Hebrew). 5 (2 (18)): 58–61\. ISSN 0033-4839.
4. ^ a b c "The Synagogue of Khirbet Shema Restored" (PDF). Communications of the ACM. February 1974. p. A4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2017.
5. ^ "James F. Strange USF Dean to speak at Brunch". The Jewish Floridian of Pinellas County. April 18, 1986. p. 9.
6. ^ one person, Prof. Richard Simon Hanson, was the site's numismatist. "Ancient Numismatics Collection". "coins unearthed at Khirbet Shema, ... he was the numismatist"
7. ^ Eric M. Meyers; Carol L. Meyers (1981). "Finders of a Real Lost Ark".
8. ^ (longer, walking in, than wide)
9. ^ such as Eshtemoa synagogue: "13.3 m (44 ft) by 21.3 m (70 ft) .. Entry by any of three doors along its eastern side ..
10. ^ Meyers, Eric M; Kraabel, A. Thomas; Strange, James F (1976). Ancient synagogue excavations at Khirbet Shema', Upper Galilee, Israel, 1970-1972. Published for the American Schools of Oriental Research by Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-0377-0. OCLC 813241192.
11. ^ Meyers, Eric M.; Kraabel, A. Thomas; Strange, James F. (1976). "Ancient Synagogue Excavations at Khirbet Shema', Upper Galilee, Israel 1970-1972". The Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research. 42: iii–297. doi:10.2307/3768529. JSTOR 3768529. S2CID 133723673.

## External links

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On other Wikimedia projects:

* Media related to Khirbat Shema at Wikimedia Commons
* (en) "Khirbat Shema" , creighton.edu site
* Archeology portal
* Portal Ancient Israel and Jews in Antiquity

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