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Dates Excavated:
1978-1980 and 1985
Excavator(s):
Zvi Uri Ma’oz
Archaeological Information: Area A, Stratum IIIA-Stratum IIIB-Stratum II[686]
Date of Building Construction:
beginning of the 6th century[687]
Place of Building in Settlement:
In the middle of a settlement, at the apex of the hill, at the southwestern end of a ridge.[688]
Building Description:
An east-west trapezoid-shaped basilica with two rows of four columns.[689] The building had a door in the center of the western wall and another at the east side of the north wall. Several steps led down from this entrance onto the synagogue floor, which apparently was made of basalt slabs but has not been preserved. Possibly, there was a gallery above the aisles. Carved reliefs and an Aramaic inscription on a stone block were found around the synagogue and reused in nearby houses. The building was transformed into a granary in the 20th century, using the synagogue’s foundations and lower walls. A new pavement was installed, made of large stone blocks.[690]
Maps and Plans
Other Materials
First Deposit
Date Excavated: 1978-1979
Deposit Location:
Under the floor, in the foundation fill
Archaeological Information:
Stratum IIIA: L114, L121a, L135, L151 (sandy upper layer)
Certain association with the building itself? Yes
Deposit Retrievable? No
Deposit Type: IB6
Deposit Description:
To date the synagogue, blocks from the pavement of the building were removed in four probes: in the north-eastern part of the hall, along the northern row of columns, and above the westernmost column in the south row.[691] Underneath the pavement, a layer of loose, sandy soil was discovered that was very dark, almost black in color (L114, L121a, L135, L151).[692] This layer was about 0.15 m deep and was completely sieved: 234 coins, as well as modern objects such as shell casings stamped in 1949, were discovered.[693] The excavators suggest that this layer is a mixture of the foundation fill of the synagogue with soil brought in more recently to stabilize the new granary floor. The original synagogue floor appears not to have survived. Underneath this sandy layer, a compact layer of reddish soil was found.
Container Present? No
Description of Coins:
In a 1980 preliminary publication, Ariel published a summary of 339 coins found at Horvat Kanaf, representing all coins from the 1978 excavations and a handful of coins from the 1979 season. However, as it is unclear which belonged to the upper, dark layer (deposit 1) and which to the lower, reddish layer (deposit 2), all the coins are presented together. In 2011, Ma’oz published a detailed analysis of the architecture of the building, but no further details on the coins are provided. He mentions that “all in all about a thousand coins and tokens were found, about 500 of which were identified.”[694] However, in her MA thesis, Ahipaz states that the upper layer contained 234 coins and the lower layer 278 coins, for a total of 512 coins.[695] So instead of the 58 broken coins (see footnote 693), were 500 coins discarded and did Ahipaz only see the 500 coins that were kept? Finally, in 2015, Donald Ariel published all the synagogue coins in Ma’oz’s final excavation report. He identified 234 coins coming from this deposit, for which he provides dates and minting places.
In the IAA database, information could be found on 126 coins from this deposit (meaning that 108 coins were not legible and thus were not entered into the database system). The coins range from 218-222 CE (Elagabalus) to 457-474 CE (Leo I). One coin was a clipped Mamluk coin, dated to 1250-1517 CE. Another coin, indicated in the database as a “problem” coin, can be dated to 1300-1400 CE. These later coins presumably are later intrusions. Not taking into account these intrusions, there is one coin dated to the 3rd century, 56 to the 4th century (44.5%), and 67 to the 5th century (53%). Almost all the coins came from eastern mints, except for three minted in Rome.
Other Images
Conspectus Table:
Conspectus table Horvat Kanaf, Deposit 1. This table can be seen in full screen by clicking the icon on the bottom right. For more details on the specific coins in each row, please hover over the numbers.
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Second Deposit
Date Excavated: 1978-1979
Deposit Location:
Under the floor, in the foundation fill
Archaeological Information:
Stratum IIIA: L116, L121b, L168, L169 (red, lower layer)
Certain association with the building itself? Yes
Deposit Retrievable? No
Deposit Type: IB6
Deposit Description:
To date the synagogue, blocks from the pavement of the building were removed in four probes: in the north-eastern part of the hall, along the northern row of columns, and above the westernmost column in the southern row.[696] Underneath the pavement, a layer of loose, sandy soil was discovered that was very dark, almost black in color. Underneath this sandy layer, a compact layer of reddish soil was found (L116, L121b, L168, L169). This is the original foundation fill of the synagogue building, deposited and pressed to level the natural bedrock. The fill slopes from the center of the nave to the north and south and surrounds foundation stylobates made of fieldstones.[697] In this layer, the excavators found 289 coins.
Container Present? No
Description of Coins:
As mentioned under Deposit 1, Ariel published a coin catalogue of the Horvat Kanaf coins in 1980, but did not distinguish between Deposit 1 and Deposit 2, so it is impossible to say here which coins came from which locus or layer. In 2011, Ma’oz published a small booklet on the architecture of the Horvat Kanaf synagogue, and mentioned that “in Locus 166, this layer contained 148 coins, the latest of which dated to Emperor Anastasius I (491-518 CE). This is also the latest coin in the foundation fill.”[698] However, in her 2015 MA thesis, Ahipaz does not mention a Locus 166; only Loci 116, 121b, 168, and 169.[699] So, were the 148 coins part of her analysis, or not? Finally, Ariel published the coins in more detail in the Horvat Kanaf final excavation report from 2015. He gives information on 289 coins from Loci 116, 121b, 168, and 169, but again, no coins are mentioned from Locus 166.
At the IAA, information on 275 coins can be found from these loci (suggesting that 14 coins were illegible). The coins range from 276-282 CE to 512-518 CE, with most of the coins dating to the late 4th century, all coming from eastern mints, except 4 from Rome, giving a similar profile to the coins from Deposit 1.
Conspectus Table:
Conspectus table Horvat Kanaf, Deposit 2. This table can be seen in full screen by clicking the icon on the bottom right. For more details on the specific coins in each row, please hover over the numbers.
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References
Bibliography:
– Oliphant L., 1886, “New Discoveries,” in: Palestine Exploration Fund. Quarterly Statement, January 1886, pp. 75-76
– Sukenik E.L., 1935, “The Ancient Synagogue of El-Hammeh,” in: The Journal of the Palestine Oriental Society, pp. 174-178
– Hüttenmeister F. & Reeg G., 1977, Die Antiken Synagogen in Israel, 2 vols., Wiesbaden: L. Reichert, pp. 308-310
– Ariel D.T., 1980, “Coins from the synagogue at Horvat Kanef. Preliminary Report,” in: Israel Numismatic Journal, Vol. 4, pp. 59-62
– Chiat M., 1982, Handbook of Synagogue Architecture, Chico: Scholars Press, pp. 265-267
– Ma’oz Z., 1981, “The Art and Architecture of the synagogues of the Golan,” in: Levine L. (ed.), Ancient Synagogues Revealed, Jerusalem: The Israel Exploration Society, pp. 98-115
– Naveh J. & Shaked S., 1985, Amulets and Magic Bowls, Leiden: Brill, pp. 24, 44-54 nos 2,3
– Ilan Z., 1991, Ancient Synagogues in Israel, Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defence, pp. 89-90 (Hebrew)
– Ma’oz Z., 1993, “Kanaf, Horvat,” in: NEAEHL, pp. 847-850
– Ma’oz Z., 1995, Ancient Synagogues in the Golan, Art and Architecture, Qazrin: Golan Archaeological Museum, pp. 130-148 (Hebrew)
– Urman D. 1995, “Mazra’at Kanaf,” in: Urman D. & Flesher P. (eds.), Ancient Synagogues: Historical Analysis and Archaeological Discovery, Vol. 2, Leiden: Brill, pp. 534-541
– Milson D., 2007, Art and Architecture of the Synagogue in Late Antique Palestine: in the Shadow of the Church, Leiden/Boston, pp. 388-389
– Ma’oz Z., 2011, Deir Aziz and Kanaf: the Architecture of Two Ancient Synagogues, Qazrin: Archaostyle, pp. 56-93
– Spigel C., 2012, Ancient Synagogue Seating Capacities: Methodology, Analysis and Limits, Mohr Siebeck, pp. 236-239
– Hachlili R., 2013, Ancient Synagogues: Archaeology and Art: New Discoveries and Current Research, Leiden: Brill, pp. 112, 114, 195, 247, 438, 463, 537, 547, 598
– Ma’oz Z., 2015, Horvat Kanaf: Excavations in 1978–1980 and 1985, Final Report (Archaostyle Scientific Research Series 14), Qazrin: Archaostyle
– Ahipaz N., 2015, The Custom of the Ritual Burial of Coins in Synagogues, MA thesis, pp. 34-38 (Hebrew)
– Zingboym O., “Horvat Kanaf – New Excavations of the Synagogue: Was a Third-Fourth Century Synagogue Uncovered?”, in: Mikhmanim (in print, Hebrew)
Website(s):
– The Bornblum Eretz Israel Synagogues Website:
http://synagogues.kinneret.ac.il/synagogues/kanaf/
– Bible Walks:
https://biblewalks.com/sites/Kanaf.html
Footnotes
[686] Ma’oz 1993, p. 847: Stratum IIIA: Middle Byzantine Period (beginning of the sixth century CE): construction of a synagogue. Stratum IIIB: Late Byzantine Period (second half of the sixth century CE): reconstruction of the synagogue following an earthquake (?), construction of a platform in front of the synagogue on the west. Stratum II: Mamluk to Ottoman periods (thirteenth – sixteenth centuries): dwellings next to the synagogue; (undefined) use of the synagogue and its front platform. The early 6th century construction date is based on the discovery of a follis of Anastasius I (498) under the floor.
[687] This terminus post quem date is based on pottery and coins found in the fill below the floor, in the foundation level of the synagogue.
[688] The building was already discovered by Sir Lawrence Oliphant in 1885 and described by Eleazar Lipa Sukenik after he visited the place in 1932. After 1967 the site was surveyed several times by Shmaryahu Gutman, Claire Epstein, and others (Ma’oz 1993, p. 847; Urman 1995, pp. 534-535, Ma’oz 2011, pp. 60-61; Ahipaz 2015, p. 34).
[689] Ma’oz 1993, p. 848 mentions two rows of eight columns, but published maps of the building only show two rows of four columns (Ilan 1991, pp. 89-90; Spigel 2012a, p. 239; Hachlili 2013, p. 112).
[690] Ma’oz 2011, p. 60.
[691] Ma’oz 2011, p. 89.
[692] In this layer, the soil was dense and hard to excavate, and visibly different from the loose dirt above it. Therefore, the excavators concluded there were no later disturbances in these loci and that this layer belonged to the foundation of the synagogue building (Ahipaz 2015, p. 36, footnote 7). However, the Mamluk coin found in L135 indicates some disturbance.
[693] Hachlili 2015, p. 36, Ma’oz 2015, pp. 180-181. Because the synagogue building was incorporated into a modern construction with a roof, it was too dark inside to see any coins in situ. Hence, all soil was hauled out in buckets and sifted outside the building. It is thus impossible to say where the coins came from exactly, but they were dispersed over the entirety of the surface where the pavement stones were removed. 58 coins from the site were also discarded on the spot because they were broken, heavily eroded, or crumbled (personal communication Zvi Ma’oz). Unfortunately, no pictures were taken.
[694] Ma’oz 2011, p. 91.
[695] Ahipaz 2015, p. 36. Approximately this same quantity is given by Ariel in his 2015 analysis, in which he states that “in fact 523 [coins] were excavated from all of the excavations inside the synagogue” (Ariel 2015, p. 179).
[696] Ma’oz 2011, p. 89.
[697] Ahipaz 2015, p. 36.
[698] Ma’oz 2011, p. 91.
[699] Ahipaz 2015, p. 36.