The BAS Scholars Series program offers a quarterly, stand-alone presentation by noted scholars of the Bible and archaeology.

On Monday, March 9th, join Karen B. Stern for her compelling talk.

In archaeology the human experience is often left unconsidered in favor of focusing on statues, mosaics, and other exquisite examples of ancient art and artifacts. However, the main purpose of a building has always been to serve the people who built it. In this lecture, immerse yourself in the world of early Judaism by stepping into the sensory experience of the ancient synagogue.

Lectures

Sensing the Synagogue

• What did ancient synagogues smell like?
• How were they illuminated?
• What were their acoustics?
• Did people touch their surfaces with their hands and feet?
• How did their decoration or architecture make worshippers feel?

We know quite a lot about ancient synagogues, from ancient literature, from archaeology, and from inscriptional remains. We can ascertain valuable information about both the daily uses of these important spaces and the spiritual significance to the Jews who prayed there.

But what about the experience of those who used these ancient synagogues? Few scholars have asked these types of questions.

Serious consideration of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures associated with ancient synagogues, reveals critical historical information about Jewish men, women, and children and about their transformative experiences inside synagogues throughout the Mediterranean world.

Speaker

Register