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Gamla (or Gamala) was a town located in ancient Gaulanitis (modern Golan Heights). The name perhaps derives from shape of the hill the town lies upon, shaped like a camel's hump. The town flourished during the 1st century BCE in part thanks to a thriving olive oil industry. During the First Jewish War against Rome, the town was besieged by Vespasian and ultimately destroyed. The synagogue structure was first identified in the late 1970s. The building consisted over a large main hall, with some additional rooms on the front and rear of the structure. There are two levels in the main hall, separated by stepped benches that circuit the central floor. There are additional rooms adjacent to this main hall. The original structure may have been built during the 1st century BCE, but either some reconfiguration took place around the beginning of the 1st century CE, or the structure was only constructed at this point. Additional rooms were added onto the structure at a later date. The total size of the building, after all additional rooms were added, was around 25 by 17 metres. As such, the Gamla synagogue is the largest known Second Temple period synagogue. The synagogue is not attested to in any ancient text, and there are no inscriptions which provide any more information. The only decorative elements from the structure are a lintel stone, which bears a rosette. The inner columns were likely topped with doric capitals. A single, but poorly carved, ionic style capital was also found inside the hall. The users of the structure are difficult to identify. The structure is well built, but perhaps could seat between 400 and 540 people, only 10% of the town's total population (drawn from Spigel, Ancient Synagogue Seating, 2012). As such it is likely that during its regular use, it was used by local elites. Outside the synagogue is a ritual immersion pool (miqveh). Such pools were used by Jews to cleanse themselves from ritual impurity. The pool was fed by a channel, which ran through the synagogue itself, suggesting that the pool was somehow linked with the synagogue, but it is difficult to determine the exact reason. During the revolt period, it appears that refugees sheltered in the structure, and in this period, we can suggest that the building was given over to non-elites. Once Gamla was besieged and fell to the Romans, the site was not reoccupied. The synagogue structure was first identified in the late 1970s. The building consisted over a large main hall. There are two levels in the main hall, separated by stepped benches that circuit the central floor. There are additional rooms adjacent to this main hall. The users of the structure are difficult to identify. The structure is well built, but perhaps could seat only 10% of the town's total population (drawn from Spigel 2012). As such it is likely that during it's regular use, it was used by local elites. During the revolt period, it appears that refugees sheltered in the structure, and in this period we can suggest that the building was given over to non-elites. |
