[ALBSA-Info] Saranda archeologic discovery

[Agron Alibali]

Dig reveals more of ancient Albanian shul

Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, THE JERUSALEM POST 
Oct. 19, 2004

Excavations at an ancient synagogue in Albania have
uncovered additional sections of the impressive
structure. 

The dig, now in its second season, is being conducted
under the auspices of the Hebrew University and the
Albanian Academy of Sciences at a synagogue that dates
from the 5th or 6th century CE and is located in the
coastal city of Saranda, opposite the Greek island of
Corfu. 

The synagogue underwent various changes, including
transformation into a church in the late 6th century
CE, before it was destroyed by Slavic raids into the
region in the 7th century. 

Initial excavations at the site were conducted two
decades ago when Albania was under tight communist
rule. The Albanian team, suspecting that the ruins
contained a synagogue, issued an invitation to the
Hebrew University in 2002. 

Profs. Gideon Foerster and Ehud Netzer of the HU's
Institute of Archeology, together with Albanian
archeologists Kosta Lako and Etleva Nalbani, have been
working for the past few weeks at the site. Also
working this year on the project was a French expert
on mosaics, Marie-Pat Raynaud. 

The archeologists have concentrated on revealing
additional rooms adjoining the elongated hall whose
mosaic floors depict such Jewish symbols as a
seven-branched candelabrum (menora) flanked by a
citron (etrog) and a ram's horn (shofar). The newly
exposed rooms – which in fact were an extension of the
hall – contain more of the decorative mosaic paving,
including representations of fish, a popular theme in
the ancient world. 

The joint Albanian-Israeli delegation intends to
return soon to the site to continue uncovering the
basilica section of the synagogue, which today lies
under a main street in Saranda. The construction of
the basilica, close to the elongated hall, was the
last major development of the synagogue. 

The archeologists noted that in a Jewish cemetery in
the southern Italian town of Venosa, there is a
tombstone dating from 521 CE bearing the name of
Augusta, daughter of Yishai, head of the Jewish
community of Anchiasmon (Onchismus), the ancient name
for Saranda...

Liora Norwich contributed to this report.