# Excavation of 1500 year old Temple in Lower Galilee

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 9, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603 "2018-07-09T19:24:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603/1 "2018-07-09T19:24:58Z")

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> **[Biblical ’Spy’ Mosaic Revealed in Ancient Synagogue](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/news-huqoq-mosaic-synagogue-ancient-israel-archaeology)**
>
> An ancient depiction of Moses' scouts in Canaan has been discovered in an "unparalleled" house of worship in Israel.

Cool discovery changing the views we had of Judiasm in a time of expanding Christianity.

In an unrelated note, if only it could be politically possible to excavate the Temple Mount. What glorious history must be buried there.

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603/2 "2018-07-09T20:24:04Z")

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There’s plenty of historical artifacts being excavated…by the Muslims, and either destroyed or discarded. [Here’s one story of it happening.](https://www.timesofisrael.com/muslim-cleanup-project-illegally-disturbed-removed-ancient-soil-on-temple-mt/)

Israeli archaeologists have sifted through some such salvaged dirt and found some very nice artifacts, but would be much easier if the Waqf were a little more cooperative.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603/3 "2018-07-09T21:52:41Z")

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What I find fascinating is the religious murals. I had always thought Judaism frowned on that sort of representative art (“graven images” and all). The article suggests this is an important aspect of the discovery, giving a glimpse of what at least some Jewish communities saw as acceptable.

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**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603/4 "2018-07-09T22:25:51Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> What I find fascinating is the religious murals. I had always thought Judaism frowned on that sort of representative art (“graven images” and all). The article suggests this is an important aspect of the discovery, giving a glimpse of what at least some Jewish communities saw as acceptable.

I agree. But this was before Islam and the Crusades.

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excavation-of-1500-year-old-temple-in-lower-galilee/817603/5 "2018-07-09T22:30:31Z")

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The prohibition of graven images in Judaism does not include 2-dimensional images, only 3-dimensional. A carved relief would be an issue, a wall painting or mosaic would not be.