New exhibit offers first public glimpse of ancient Huqoq synagogue mosaics

A new exhibition is offering the public its first glimpse into the ancient Jewish settlement of Huqoq, which opened at the Yigal Allon Center. In a statement by the Israel Antiquities Authority on Thursday, the center of the exhibit is the original Samson mosaic, depicting the biblical figure carrying the gates of the ancient Philistine city of Gaza on his shoulders, alongside photographs of additional mosaics from the site's synagogue and a previously unseen cache of bronze coins.

Huqoq, which reached its peak during the Roman-Byzantine period, sits in the Amiad Forest near a spring of the same name and is visible from the museum's windows. The site is best known for its ancient synagogue, uncovered by an excavation team led by Professor Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which unearthed mosaics depicting rare biblical and extra-biblical scenes. The IAA said the range of the Huqoq mosaics is "unequalled by any other synagogue in Israel."

Magness said the finds are "some of the most exciting and moving" she has unearthed, adding that they remain "part of an ongoing research effort" and that the exhibition invites the public to "join the journey of discovery as it unfolds."

Beyond the mosaics, the exhibit showcases the broader village through archaeological finds, photographs, a small-scale model, and an experiential space simulating part of an underground escape network discovered at the site, alongside a ring and dagger recovered from the tunnels.

IAA exhibit curator Dr. Einat Ambar-Armon said Huqoq tells the story of a Jewish Galilee community during the Roman-Byzantine period, noting that preparing the site itself for public visitation is expected to take several more years, making the exhibition "a first gateway" to the village.

The exhibit is a joint initiative between the IAA, KKL-JNF, and the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, which is supported by the US government.