Israel: Ancient synagogue unearthed in Mary Magdalene’s town
The unearthed synagogue is the town's second such archaeological find
In Israel’s Galilee town of Magdala, said to be the birthplace of Mary Magdalene, archeologists excavated a synagogue dating back to the Second Temple era.
The structure was unearthed by Israel Antiquities Authority, in collaboration with the company Y.G. Contractual and the University of Haifa.
Archeological experts explained that the walls were constructed out of basalt and limestone, and lined with white plaster.
The synagogue is composed of a main hall, in addition to two other rooms.
A smaller room in the structure had a stone shelf, which the team believes was used to store Torah scrolls.
The newly-unearthed synagogue marks the second such find discovered in the town - a larger, more decorative one was excavated in 2009, Haaretz reported.
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“The discovery of a second synagogue in this Galilean settlement casts light on the social and religious lives of the Jews in the area in this period, and reflects a need for a dedicated building for Torah reading and study and for social gatherings,” archeology expert Dina Avshalom-Gorni said, according to The Jerusalem Post.
“We can imagine Mary Magdalene and her family coming to the synagogue here, along with other residents of Migdal, to participate in religious and communal events.”