Katzrin ancient village and synagogue, Ancient Jewish archaeological site in Golan Heights, Israel.
Katzrin is an excavated village featuring reconstructed basalt stone buildings, including residential structures and a central synagogue decorated with geometric wall patterns. The houses surround a village square where ancient presses for wine and olive oil processing still stand.
The settlement flourished from the 4th to 8th centuries CE, with the synagogue built in the 6th century above an earlier 4th-century foundation. The structure underwent religious transformation when it later functioned as a mosque during the Mamluk period.
The site displays household items, agricultural tools, and a synagogue bearing Hebrew inscriptions that reflect how the ancient Jewish community lived and worked. These objects show the connection between daily life and spiritual practice in this settlement.
Visitors can explore the reconstructed two-story houses and examine the functional wine and olive presses on site. The ground is easy to walk across, with paths between structures clearly marked for comfortable navigation.
The site bears traces of fire scorching on stones from Roman attacks that occurred during the settlement's later phase. These visible burn marks provide direct physical evidence of violent events that affected the community.
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