A recent discovery of a pagan altar incorporated into the walls of an ancient Byzantine church dating to 400 CE is raising questions about the intertwined nature of early Christianity and pagan beliefs. The excavation project at the Banias Nature Reserve in northern Israel, co-led by Prof. Adi Erlich of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology, is now focusing on deciphering the inscription found on the altar, which suggests pilgrims traveled great distances to reach the religious site. Prof. Erlich points out that the altar’s repurposing as part of a wall may have been a deliberate insult to local worshippers of the “old” gods. READ MORE
*Credit: Jonathan Orlin / Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Researchers from the University of Haifa, the Hebrew University and the French National Center for Scientific Research identified six subparallel incisions on a bone fragment
In the News University of Haifa conferred a Doctors of Philosophy Honoris Causa on Eitan Aisenberg, Co-Founder, CEO and Exploration Manager of Ratio Petroleum. The distinguished
The discovery was found submerged at the chalcolithic site Hishulei Carmel, and predates the oldest evidence of olive production for consumption by some 4,000 years. The
© University of Haifa Division of External Relations