Check out this fantastic report published on the ASOR website, by Hania Kantzer, a UNC undergrad who participated with Professor Jodi Magness on the Huqoq excavations last summer and received an ASOR fellowship (as well as support from the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies).

Hania Kantzer is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying chemistry and Asian studies. This past summer, she was a grateful recipient of the Stevan B. Dana Fieldwork Scholarship through ASOR, and was able to work as a student researcher on the Huqoq Excavation Project.

Here is a snippet of the article:

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If you had asked me a year ago if I’d be up for working eight hours a day, six days a week, in the summer heat, starting at around 5 am every morning, I probably wouldn’t have been as enthusiastic as I am now. However, almost as soon as I began, I realized what an honor, what an unforgettable experience, and what an education it was!

Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village nestled about three miles to the west of Capernaum and Migdal (Magdala) in the Galilee region of Israel, has been the site of ongoing excavations since 2011. Dr. Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, leading the excavation, has unearthed a remarkable Late Roman synagogue dating back to the early fifth century C.E. This synagogue is adorned with mosaics which not only depict a range of biblical scenes but also mark the very first instance of a non-biblical narrative ever discovered in an ancient synagogue. When I was working for the Center for Jewish Studies on campus at my school, I presented to many classrooms (once, even to Professor Magness’ class) about this excavation as a possible research opportunity. Whether I persuaded others very well, I don’t know, but I definitely convinced myself! I ended up applying to join her team for Summer 2023.

Click here to continue reading this wonderful article!

Posted in News & Events on March 17, 2024. Bookmark the permalink.