Mosaic in Israel Shows Biblical Samson

CNN ^ | 7/4/12 | Joe Sterling

[marshmallow]

(CNN) -- Archaeologists are reveling in the discovery of an ancient synagogue in northern Israel, a "monumental" structure with a mosaic floor depicting the biblical figure of Samson and a Hebrew inscription.

The synagogue -- dating to the fourth and fifth centuries in both the Talmudic and late Roman periods -- is in Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village in the country's Galilee region, the Israeli Antiquities Authority said.

Jodi Magness, a professor of early Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the building was found in a recent excavation.

She called the find "exciting" and described the "very high quality of the artwork" in the mosaic, crafted with "tiny colored stone cubes." Only a few late Roman period synagogues contained mosaics with biblical scenes, said Magness, one of the leaders of a U.S., Israeli and Canadian team engaged in the digs.

"This discovery is significant," she said, calling the site "extraordinary" and "stunning."

Samson was known for enormous physical strength and his fighting prowess against the Philistines, the enemy of the Israelites.

His story, recounted in the Bible's Book of Judges, mentions Delilah, a Philistine woman who worked to undermine Samson. She cut his hair after she persuaded Samson to reveal that his long hair was the secret to this strength.

Magness said the mosaic scene shows Samson putting torches between the tails of foxes. That image, from a vignette in the Book of Judges, is a reference to Samson exacting revenge on the Philistines by sending out flame-laden foxes to burn their lands.

She said the only other images of Samson in synagogues are at one nearby place in the Galilee known as Wadi Hamam, where Samson is seen "smiting" the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. Another.......

[ExGeeEye]

TTIWWM.

[montag813]

Funny how no archaeologist has ever found any trace of Mohammed or his mention anywhere in Israel, and Jerusalem is not mentioned a single time in the Koran - yet the world just accepts that Jerusalem is as holy to Muslims as it is to Jews and Christians, even though it was just one more conquered land, and holds no importance in their religion whatsoever. Why? Because Arafat’s uncle, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (an ally of Adolf Hitler) claimed that the Dome of the Rock is where Muhammad “ascended to haven on a winged horse”. But that mosque was not even occupied by the Muslims until 80 years after the pedophile Prophet’s death. The Koran said he died in his wife’s house in Arabia. It is absurd, and Jews and Christians need to say so, and demand that the invading mosque be removed from the Temple Mount to Saudi Arabia.

[Pollster1]

FYI:

[Netz]

How much time do the Israelis have before a Palestinian defaces it? Jealous bastards...

[SunkenCiv]

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• A serving of Philistine culture: Boar, dog and fine wine
• Samson Effect
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• Philistine Temple Ruins Uncovered in Goliath's Hometown

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks Pollster1. shamgar and samson Google To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[Biggirl]

The Israelis must have good security.

[SunkenCiv]

Sepphoris Inscriptions Reference Rabbis
Bible and archaeology news
Glafira Carr
02/18/2016
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/inscriptions/sepphoris-inscriptions-reference-rabbis/