Fig. 7Aerial view of Magdala–Taricheae from West. Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project (M. Eisenberg 2010)
De Luca and Lena (2014)
| Transliterated Name | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Migdal | Hebrew | מגדל |
| al-Majdal | Arabic | المجدل |
| Magdala Nunayya | Aramaic in the Babylonian Talmud | מגדלא נוניה |
| Magdala Sebaya | Jewish sources | |
| Dalmanoutha | possibly in Mark 8:10 | |
| Magadan | possibly in Matthew 15:39 | |
| Taricheae | Greek | Ταριχαία or Ταριχέα |
| Magdala | Aramaic | מגדלא |
Magdala was an ancient city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee - located ~ 3 km. north of Tiberias. Because it is referred to as Magdala Nunayya - "Tower of Fishes" - in the Babylonian Talmud, it may also be the location of Taricheae - "the place of processing fish" in Greek. The Migdal synagogue, the oldest synagogue found thus far in the Galilee, was discovered here and Jesus' disciple and possible companion Mary of Magdala (popularly known as Mary Magdalene) is reputed to have been born here. The harbor of Magdala was uncovered during the 2007–2011 Magdala Project archaeological campaigns and appears to exhibit three phases of use: late Hellenistic (2nd–1st centuries B.C.), Early-Middle Roman (1st–3rd century A.D.) and Byzantine (6th–7th centuries A.D.) (deLuca and Lena, 2014).
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Location Map from
de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 1
Schematic Map of the Sea of Galilee: Anchorages and Coastal Sites. Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project (S. De Luca – A. Ricci)
De Luca and Lena (2014) -
Topographic Map of the area from
de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 2
Topographic Map of the Area of Magdala–Taricheae and surroundings. The letters show the digs. Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project 2011–2012 (S. De Luca – A. Ricci)
De Luca and Lena (2014) -
General Plan of the Magdala Project from
de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 3
General Plan of the Magdala Project 2007–2011 Excavations. Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project 2011–2012 (S. De Luca – A. Ricci)
De Luca and Lena (2014) -
Plan of the Harbors Structures Project from
de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 4
Plan of the Harbors Structures. Magdala Project 2007–2011 Excavations. Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project 2011–2012 (S. De Luca – A. Ricci)
De Luca and Lena (2014) -
Plan of the Byzantine Harbor of Magdala from
de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 5
Schematic Plan of the Byzantine Harbor of Magdala (Adapted from Raban 1988, fig. 7). Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project 2011–2012 (S. De Luca – A. Ricci)
De Luca and Lena (2014) -
Evolution of the Harbor of Magdala from
de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 20
Geological Space-Time Depositional Evolution Scheme of the Harbors of Magdala–Taricheae. Courtesy of G. Sarti, University of Pisa © Magdala Project – University of Pisa (G. Sarti 2011)
De Luca and Lena (2014)
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Figure 10 -
Sections of the Hasmonean Mooring Place and of the Early Roman Inner Basin from de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 10
Elevation and Sections of the Hasmonean Mooring Place and of the Early Roman Inner Basin, with mooring stones (MS 1 and 4) in situ. Courtesy of S. De Luca © Magdala Project (S. De Luca 2008)
JW: See units 3-4 to the left of middle drawing (under F18) overlain by an apparent collapse layer
De Luca and Lena (2014) -
Figure 20 -
Evolution of the Harbor of Magdala from de Luca and Lena (2014)
Fig. 20
Geological Space-Time Depositional Evolution Scheme of the Harbors of Magdala–Taricheae. Courtesy of G. Sarti, University of Pisa © Magdala Project – University of Pisa (G. Sarti 2011)
De Luca and Lena (2014)
For causes yet unknown, the harbor basin was silted by 45–60 cm lacustrine sandy deposits covered by conglomerates of gravel (Units 3–4) typical of beaches areas, rich in mollusc shells and byoclasts (in particular melanopsis are copious). The imbrication of clasts, principally oriented eastwards and only partially toward the west, reveals the strongest water motion, typical of upper beach/foreshore environment. The potsherds from the conglomerates date back to the Middle-Late Roman (3rd century A.D.) period and give a terminus post quem for its formation (cf. Figs. 10 and 20 - see above). On this layer of pebbles, probably due to the earthquake of 363 A.D., there was the collapse of the elevation of the eastern portico to which several architectural elements – voussoirs, worked wall stones, corbels – belong. A great quantity of fragments of wall plasters with traces of paintings in vermilion red hues, burned ochre, yellow ochre, copper green, black and Egyptian blue, have been uncovered in context with pieces of ochre, red and caeruleum pigments, as well as coins and potsherds from the 3rd–4th century A.D.
Close to the southern area, the collapse was levelled and covered with crushed and pressed limestone of an Early Byzantine-Islamic building that was probably the service quarter of the monastery. The Byzantine structures were completely destroyed, greatly looted and consequently covered by a layer of pebbled, deposited by the lake which had dramatically risen toward the middle of the 8th century A.D., almost certainly due to the effect of the earthquake of 749 A.D. (cf. Fig. 15).
General view of the Roman Port of Magdala, from South-East. Courtesy of S. de Luca © Magdala Project (V. Sedia 2011)
De Luca and Lena (2014)
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Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
| Effect | Source | Description | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collapsed Walls | de Luca and Lena (2014:139) | collapse of the elevation of the eastern portico to which several architectural elements – voussoirs, worked wall stones, corbels – belong |
VIII + |