Hurvat Sumakah

Hurvat Sumakah is an archaeological site with ruins of one of the three largest Jewish settlements south of Mount Carmel, during the Roman and Byzantine periods. It is part of the Mount Carmel National Park, south of Daliyat al-Karmel, at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level.

The ancient synagogue

Remains of a synagogue, residences, workshops, agricultural facilities and rock-cut tombs were found near the ruins, including one with the Seven Branched Menorah. The origin of the name may be from the tanner's sumach, Visiting the site is limited because it is on the edge of the fire zone of the Israel Defence Forces.

History

Remains from the Roman and Byzantine periods (2nd – 7th centuries AD), and a few remains from the Crusader and Mamluk periods have been found on the site. The place was abandoned after the Mamluk period.

The ancient site covers an area of 25 dunams. It was already discovered in the 19th century by researchers, including Lawrence Oliphant who lived in nearby Daliyat al-Karmel. A limited excavation was conducted at the site by Heinrich Kohl and Carl Wetzinger, as part of their comprehensive study of synagogues in the Galilee (1905, 1907). However, some of the findings described in the initial surveys were not discovered later, since the site was used as a source for building materials for the nearby Arab settlement Umm al-Zinat (today in the Eliakim area). Remains from the Roman and Byzantine periods (2nd – 7th centuries AD), and a few remains from the Crusader and Mamluk periods were found on the site. The place was abandoned after the Mamluk period.

Synagogue

The synagogue was located as a basilica-shaped structure, which includes an entrance hall in the east, three openings and a gathering hall. Notched columns and other architectural remains were found at the site. The size of the synagogue building: 19 meters by 15 meters. In the excavations conducted at the site in 1905, a synagogue doorframe was found, on which there is a relief depicting two lions facing each other.

According to the reconstruction, the initial building was destroyed during the 4th century during an unknown event (possibly the Samaritan revolt that happened at that time). After that, the synagogue was rebuilt, until it was abandoned during the 7th century.

Notched pillars

The site incorporates several dozen long, notched stone pillars serving an unknown purpose; pillars of this type have not been discovered elsewhere except for at the ruin of Umm Daraj (about 2 km to the south). Several pillars of this type were used to restore the synagogue after its first destruction.

Rock-cut tombs

Menorah curved on the entence of a Jewish burial tomb.

Several rock-cut tombs are present at the site. The most impressive is called the "Cave of the Lamps" after the Temple menorah found engraved on both sides of the entrance arch. Another cave found on the site is known as the "Cave of the Bull and the Lion" due to the relief consisting of animals that resemble a bull and a lion in the cave's lintel.

Agriculture

Ancient olive oil extraction stone

To the north of the synagogue, a large oil press has been uncovered, consisting of a juicing surface and two weights weighing approximately a ton situated between two vertical rock pillars for fixing the beam of the press. Oil storage basins and a plastered pool have also been found.

There are no springs in the area surrounding the site, so the supply of drinking water and irrigation was based on cisterns. To the east of the oil press, remains of spacious residential buildings equipped with individual cisterns have been found. In addition, a water reservoir still used by shepherds is located at the center of the site. In the opening of the pit, there are notched rope marks indicating previous use.

Furthermore, one of the largest sets of wine presses in Israel has been uncovered 200 meters northwest of the site's centre. The system includes rock surfaces on which the grapes were trodden, hewn basins for sedimentation and filter openings through which the juice passed into a large storage pool, with a volume of 10 cubic metres. Near the winepress is a pit which was used as a winery.

Industrial buildings

Besides ancient agricultural remains: oil press and huts, possible industrial facilities have been discovered. Zohar Amar has proposed that a tannery and a textile dyeing industry at the site used local plants such as tanner's sumach as raw materials.

North-east of the synagogue is a building of a large workshop, with an area of 250 square meters, the floor is plastered and there are square ponds in it. Small water basins, like troughs, and round pillars with grooves running through them are also visible. Its juices are used for processing leather.It is possible that this workshop, and others like it scattered in the area, were also engaged in the production of dyes such as yellow dye from local flowers. Another industrial facility in the vicinity is a square reservoir, measuring 4 meters by 4 meters and 3 meters deep. In the corner of the pool is a basin for sedimentation and in its ceiling an opening for pumping. Today, it is used by shepherds.

Salamanders

During the rainy days, the pits are filled with water and animals can be found in them. One of them is one of the well-known tailed amphibians in Israel: in Carmel and the Galilee. In addition, there is the orange salamander: black, lizard-like, with yellow dots on it. During the summer it is hidden because it needs moisture. In the winter, the salamander goes to the water pools where it spawns and returns to land again. The phenomenon according to which she disappears and returns with children, led to the fact that the Druze from the surrounding area mistake her for the natives of thunder and lightning. They call the offsprings "Kalb-el-Moya" – the water dogs, and the salamander "Abu Raflin" – the father of the puddles. After all, she appears suddenly in puddles. The salamander is a protected animal and hunting is prohibited.