Beit Alpha

Transliterated Name	Source	Name
Beit Alpha	Hebrew	בית אלפא
Bet Alpha	Hebrew	בית אלפא
Beth Alpha	Hebrew	בית אלפא

Introduction

Parsed from Nahmad Avigad in Stern et al (1993 v.1)

The ancient synagogue of Beth Alpha is situated at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, east of the Jezreel Valley. The site was named after the adjacent ruin of Khirbet Beit Ilfa, which may preserve it's ancient name. Beit Alpha contains one of a few synagogues dated epigraphically. A partially destroyed Aramaic inscription states that a mosaic from the site was created during the reign of Justinian I (518-527 CE) although the building itself is older perhaps dating back to the end of the 5th century CE. Excavations conducted in 1962 by the Hebrew University in Jerusalem uncovered buildings outside the synagogue.

Identification

from Nahmad Avigad in Stern et al (1993 v.1)

The ancient synagogue of Beth Alpha is situated at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, east of the Jezreel Valley. The site was named after the adjacent ruin of Khirbet Beit Ilfa, which possibly preserves an ancient name. The place is now occupied by the kibbutzim Beth Alpha and Hephzibah. In the course of digging a channel for conveying water to the fields, members of Kibbutz Hephzibah came upon a mosaic floor. In 1929, E. L. Sukenik, assisted by N. Avigad, began excavations at the spot on behalf of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They uncovered the remnants of a synagogue and its mosaic floor. Exploratory excavations in the vicinity of the synagogue, conducted in 1962 by the Israel Department of Antiquities, succeeded in exposing remains of buildings.

Summary

from Nahmad Avigad in Stern et al (1993 v.1)

The synagogu eat Beth Alpha is among the synagogues of the later type found in Palestine. The distinctive features of this type are the division into a courtyard, narthex, and nave; an apse facing Jerusalem as a permanent repository for the ark; and a mosaic floor. The synagogue is not built of dressed stone, nor is it as monumental as the earlier synagogues found in Galilee. The highly variegated mosaic floor is surprisingly well preserved. In its magnificent decoration three basic motifs are displayed: ritual objects, astrological symbols, and a biblical scene. The style of the mosaic is naive and has all the charm of folk art. The two artisans, father and son, who perpetuated their names in the mosaic, seem to have worked throughout the district. Their names are also found in the mosaic floor discovered at Beth-Shean. A highly important feature here is an inscription indicating that the floor was laid in the sixth century. This is one of the few synagogues in the country for which a date has been found epigraphically.

Plans, Photos, and Aerial Views

Normal Size

Plan of Synagogue at

Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue

Stern et al (1993)

Beit Alpha from Stern et al (1993)
Plate IV The Synagogue after

Plate IV

The synagogue after excavation

Sukenik (1932)

excavation from Sukenik (1932)
Beit Alpha in Google Earth

Beit Alpha

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Beit Alpha on govmap.gov.il

Beit Alpha

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Magnified

Plan of Synagogue at

Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue

Stern et al (1993)

Beit Alpha from Stern et al (1993)

Synagogue Destruction earthquake - after the 6th century CE

Plans and Figures

Normal Size

Plan of Synagogue at

Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue

Stern et al (1993)

Beit Alpha from Stern et al (1993)
Fig. 7 pillar-debris

Fig. 7

Condition of pillar-debris as found at the time of the excavation. To the right the foundations of the central pillar of the eastern row are seen; and close by, the bench constructed later than the mosaic pavement

Sukenik (1932)

from Sukenik (1932)

Magnified

Plan of Synagogue at

Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue

Stern et al (1993)

Beit Alpha from Stern et al (1993)

Discussion

The synagogue at Beit Alpha appears to have suffered collapse and destruction sometime after the early 6th century CE. Sukenik (1932:13) described a collapse layer found during excavations.

The stones from the pillars differing as they do in shape and especially in colour from the other stones scattered among the debris, made it plain before we had been at work a fortnight how this ancient synagogue had been destroyed. These basalt blocks were in every case found east and west of the pillar bases, Fig 7, showing how these stones fell which belonged to the second pillar from the south in the east aisle, indicates the results of a strong earth-tremor, the direction of which was approximately west to east.

Below the pillar-debris, Sukenik (1932:14) found more debris including plaster and what appeared to be roof tiles.

When we had cleared away the debris and reached the floor of the building we found, particularly in the central nave, a great many fragments of tiles of two different types of clay, one reddish and the other greyish-brown, and a thick layer of plaster (20 to 25 cm.) covering the floor's surface. There was also a layer of plaster in the side aisles but not so thick; but here no tiles were found. This layer of plaster which, as we have seen, covered all parts of the building inside the synagogue, and which was the first to fall to the floor as a result of the shaking by the earthquake.

Most of the tile fragments were found above the plaster or in it's upper layer, and the fragments of only one complete tile was found lying on the actual surface of the mosaic, to the south near the platform.

Beneath the debris, Sukenik (1932:48) reports that that 36 bronze coins were found in the hollow built into the floor of the apse on the south side of the synagogue but only seven survived in better condition. The earliest coin dated to the reign of Constantine the Great (306-337 CE) and the two latest coins dated to the reign of Justinian I (518-527 CE). The latest coins and the Aramaic inscription commemorating construction of one of the mosaics, also dated to the reign of Justinian I (518-527 CE), provide a terminus post quem for the major seismic destruction reflected in the pillar debris.

Sukenik (1932:48-49) listed other finds discovered during excavations. The stratigraphic contexts is not listed for all items. Some fragments of Arab pottery was found in the top layer of debris which covered the ruins of the synagogue which, if identified and dated, could help narrow down the date range for the synagogue's seismic destruction.

Item	Location/Context	Image	Description
Jar	western nave near the door	Fig. 42 Fig. 42 Earthenware vessel found at Beth Alpha Sukenik (1932)	pieces from a jar with thin, ribbed sides found in the western nave near the door (Fig. 42). The jar was made from fine reddish, well-baked clay. One side of it was flat and the other markedly convex, and in [its] general shape it resembled a bee-hive. This type also appears at much earlier periods. Its shape makes it easy to move about from place to place. Similar vessels were found at Beisan in the uppermost stratum of the mound.
glass fragments	?		Certain glass fragments which we found had belonged to the stems of oil lamps.
bracelet	?	Fig. 43 Fig. 43 Brass bracelet Sukenik (1932)	Mention may here be made of two other objects found after our excavations, by Mr. Isser Unger. One is a small bronze bracelet (Fig. 43) with surface decorated with thin lines scratched between three egg-shaped protuberances.
Arabic vessel	?	Fig. 44 Fig. 44 Fragment of Arabic vessel Sukenik (1932)	Mention may here be made of two other objects found after our excavations, by Mr. Isser Unger. ... More interesting is the other object - a piece of the 'neck' and 'shoulder' of a pre-crusade Arab earthenware vessel (Fig. 44). This was made of yellowish clay mixed with small portions of white limestone. The surface was covered with a thin layer of yellowish paint and on this were arrangements of pale reddish stripes. On the lighter parts of the surface on the 'shoulder' were 'swastika'-shaped crosses. The present writer knows of no similar examples among Arab pottery found in Palestine.
Arab pottery	top layer of debris which covered the ruins of the synagogue		A few fragments of Arab pottery were also found in the top layer of debris which covered the ruins of the synagogue.

Synagogue Destruction earthquake - after the 6th century CE

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Collapse and fallen columns	second pillar from the south in the east aisle Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue Stern et al (1993)	Fig. 7 Condition of pillar-debris as found at the time of the excavation. To the right the foundations of the central pillar of the eastern row are seen; and close by, the bench constructed later than the mosaic pavement Sukenik (1932)	The stones from the pillars differing as they do in shape and especially in colour from the other stones scattered among the debris, made it plain before we had been at work a fortnight how this ancient synagogue had been destroyed. These basalt blocks were in every case found east and west of the pillar bases, Fig 7, showing how these stones fell which belonged to the second pillar from the south in the east aisle, indicates the results of a strong earth-tremor, the direction of which was approximately west to east. - Sukenik (1932:13)
Fallen Plaster and collapsed roof	floor of the Synagogue, particularly in the central nave Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue Stern et al (1993)		When we had cleared away the debris and reached the floor of the building we found, particularly in the central nave, a great many fragments of tiles of two different types of clay, one reddish and the other greyish-brown, and a thick layer of plaster (20 to 25 cm.) covering the floor's surface. There was also a layer of plaster in the side aisles but not so thick; but here no tiles were found. This layer of plaster which, as we have seen, covered all parts of the building inside the synagogue, and which was the first to fall to the floor as a result of the shaking by the earthquake. Most of the tile fragments were found above the plaster or in it's upper layer, and the fragments of only one complete tile was found lying on the actual surface of the mosaic, to the south near the platform. - Sukenik (1932:14)

Synagogue Destruction earthquake - after the 6th century CE

Modified by JW from a plan of the synagogue in Stern et al (1993 v.1)

Deformation Map

Modified by JW from a plan of the synagogue in Stern et al (1993 v.1)

Synagogue Destruction earthquake - after the 6th century CE

Earthquake Archeological Effects chart

Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)

Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Collapse and fallen columns indicating collapsed walls and fallen broken columns	second pillar from the south in the east aisle Beth Alpha: Plan of the Synagogue Stern et al (1993)	Fig. 7 Condition of pillar-debris as found at the time of the excavation. To the right the foundations of the central pillar of the eastern row are seen; and close by, the bench constructed later than the mosaic pavement Sukenik (1932)	The stones from the pillars differing as they do in shape and especially in colour from the other stones scattered among the debris, made it plain before we had been at work a fortnight how this ancient synagogue had been destroyed. These basalt blocks were in every case found east and west of the pillar bases, Fig 7, showing how these stones fell which belonged to the second pillar from the south in the east aisle, indicates the results of a strong earth-tremor, the direction of which was approximately west to east. - Sukenik (1932:13)	VIII+

The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

References

Excavation Reports

E. L. Sukenik, The Ancient Synagogue at Beth Alpha, Jerusalem 1932.

Websites

Beit Alpha at biblewalks.com

Beit Alpha at the Jewish Virtual Library

Bibliography from Stern et al (1993 v.1)

Main publication

E. L. Sukenik, The Ancient Synagogue at Beth Alpha, Jerusalem 1932.

Other studies

E. L. Sukenik, Rabinowitz Bulletin 2 (1951), 26

Goodenough, Jewish Symbols 1, 241-253

3, 638-641

M. Avi-Yonah, Archaeology (Israel Pocket Library), Jerusalem 1974, 43-45

J. Wilkinson, Journal of Jewish Art 5 (1978), 16-28

Judaica Post 7 (1979), 946-950

L. Dequeker, Bijdragen 47 (1986), 2-30

H.-P. Stiihli, Antike Synagogenkunst, Stuttgart 1988, 55-68.

Bibliography from Stern et al (2008)

J. Gutmann, Bulletin of the Asia Institute 6 (1992), 79–85

id., OEANE, 1, New York 1997, 299–300

M. Bachmann, Neukirchener Theologische Zeitschrift 9 (1994), 168–191

O. Hess, Israel Magazine 58 (1994), 27, 29, 3–34

M. Bregman, The Sacrifice of Isaac in the Three Monotheistic Religions: Proceedings of a Symposium on the Interpretation of the Scriptures, Jerusalem 16–17.3.1995 (SBF Analecta 41

ed. F. Manns), Jerusalem 1995, 127–145

R. Hachlili, ZDPV 113 (1997), 92–122

L. A. Roussin, Archaeology and the Galilee: Texts and Contexts in the Graeco-Roman and Byzantine Periods (South Florida Studies in the History of Judaism 143

eds. D. R. Edwards & C. T. McCollough), Atlanta, GA 1997, 83–96

id., BAR 27/2 (2001), 52–56

H. Mack, Cathedra 88 (1998), 180–181

G. Stemberger, Jahrbuch für Biblische Theologie 13 (1998), 145–170

A. E. Killebrew, Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 3/1–2 (1999), 17–32

Y. Englard, Cathedra 98 (2000), 172–173

E. Kessler, From Dura to Sepphoris, Portsmouth, RI 2000, 73–81

J. Magness, Symbiosis, Symbolism and the Power of the Past, Winona Lake, IN 2003, 363–389, 553–554

S. S. Miller, JQR 94 (2004), 27–76.

Notes - Previous earthquake

Sukenik (1932:16) discerned multiple phases of construction one of which he surmised may have been a repair due to a previous earthquake.

Wikipedia page for Beit Alfa

from wikipedia