The Israel Aniquities Authority announced the discovery of a mid-first-millennium C.E. Byzantine-era Jewish city near modern Be’er Sheva. The site, which includes mikva’ot (ritual pools) and a synagogue, was discovered during the construction of a highway extension. The Jewish religious structures are accompanied by what appear to be public buildings, suggesting that the site was inhabited by a larger community. The town, which appears to have been abandoned by the end of the sixth century, is located just five miles from a contemporary synagogue at Hurvat Rimon.
Our free eBook Ten Top Biblical Archaeology Discoveries brings together the exciting worlds of archaeology and the Bible! Learn the fascinating stories and insights gained from artifacts and ruins, like the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, where the Gospel of John says Jesus miraculously restored the sight of the blind man, and the Tel Dan inscription—the first historical evidence of King David outside the Bible.