Wednesday, August 12, 2009

AN ANCIENT JEWISH "TEMPLE" (SYNAGOGUE?) has been found in southern Turkey:
Jewish temple found in ancient port city at Lycian site

(Today's Zaman)

Ongoing excavations at the ancient port city of Andriake in Lycia -- located in Antalya's Demre district -- have uncovered a centuries-old Jewish temple.

Site chief Dr. Nevzat Çevik, an archaeology professor at Akdeniz University, told the Anatolia news agency that his team believes the temple is from around the third century. Located on a choice spot facing the sea, the temple was likely built following a law instituted in 212 that allowed Jews the right to become Roman citizens, Çevik said.

The find is important as it is the first archaeological trace of Jewish culture found in Lycia. ...