• Baylor prof, students help discover ancient Biblical mosaics in Israel

    Fish swallowing soldier mosaic

    For 1,500 years, elaborate mosaics depicting Bible stories like Noah’s Ark and the parting of the Red Sea were buried in the ruins of an ancient synagogue in Israel. But this summer, a team that included two Baylor students and Dr. Nathan Elkins, a Baylor art history professor and coin specialist, uncovered this stunning artwork while excavating the synagogue that housed it.

    The synagogue, located in Huqoq, Israel, dates back to the 5th century, and the artwork excavators found inside was incredibly rare; similar examples have been found at only four other Middle Eastern synagogues. The art covers the floor and contains detailed images of Noah’s Ark, featuring bears (Sic ’em!), elephants, leopards, donkeys, snakes, lions, ostriches, camels, sheep and goats. Other mosaics tell the story of the parting of the Red Sea (with images like the one above of Egyptian soldiers being swallowed by large fish).

    Along with Dr. Elkins, Baylor students Sara Beth Burch, a sophomore art history major, and Nathaniel Eberlein, a senior University Scholar, took part in the excavation. Elkins provided the group with expertise in ancient coins, some of which were found at the site. The coins covered a span of 2,300 years and helped the team better understand the synagogue and the village it called home.

    This is the fifth straight summer university teams have worked to uncover the synagogue. Excavators previously found other artwork, including mosaics telling the Biblical story of Samson and the non-Biblical story of Alexander the Great meeting a Jewish high priest, but this summer’s discovery was by far the largest.

    When work continues at the site next summer, Elkins says, Baylor’s involvement will expand to include study abroad opportunities for students, and will be called “Baylor in the Galilee.”

    Sic ’em, Dr. Elkins, Sara Beth and Nathaniel!

    [Photo courtesy of Jim Haberman]