[Avodah] Another Second Temple Era Menorah found

[Micha Berger]

See "Ruins of one of the world's oldest synagogues found in Russia"
(Jewish Chronicle, 15-Aug-2023) https://bit.ly/3QH7uco or
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/one-of-the-worlds-oldest-synagogues-burned-down-by-barbarian-tribes-found-by-black-sea-44u0buh6v2TcNpDI8jCIO9

See there for the pictures of the remains of the menorah sculptures. The arms
are curved. And this is contemporary with Bayis Sheini.

The evidence is pretty consistent.

    One of the worlds oldest synagogues dating back nearly 3000 years
    has been unearthed by a team of archaeologists near the Black sea
    in Russia.

    A team from the Phanagoria Archeological Expedition discovered the
    ruins of the synagogue which formed part of the ancient Greek city
    of Phanagoria.
    ...
    Inside the rectangular structure, which is 21 m deep and 6 m wide,
    were several menorahs, altars, fragments of marble steles, including
    one bearing the word synagogue in the original Ancient Greek. The
    team also found tablets with dates from the first century.
    ...
    Researchers say the synagogue date back to the Second Temple Period
    (597 BC to AD 70) and stood for approximately 500 years until
    Phanagoria was sacked and burned by barbarian tribes.

    The foundation said: The analysis of the fragments of the preserved
    decoration allows us to conclude that the synagogue was erected at
    the turn of the millennium and existed for at least 500 years.

    They added: The presence of a robust Jewish community within the
    city already in the 1st century AD is corroborated by depictions of
    menorahs on amphorae and tombstones from that era.


Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Integrity is choosing to practice our values
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   rather than simply professing them.
Author: Widen Your Tent                  - Brene Brown
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF