The Discovery of a Menorah in Attalia (Kaleiçi, Antalya) and its Significance for Jewish Communities in Pamphylia

Abstract

The presence of Jews in the region of Pamphylia in Asia Minor is documented in ancient literary and epigraphical texts. However, little archaeological realia have been found documenting their existence. Therefore, the discovery of a marble colonette fragment with a menorah during a rescue excavation in ancient Attalia, the old city Kaleiçi of Antalya, is significant. This article first discusses the textual and epigraphical evidence for Jews in Pamphylia. It next recounts how the Attalia menorah was discovered, then discusses details of the colonette and its menorah. A review of menorah comparanda follows with suggested interpretations for the function of the colonette and its menorah. The article concludes by setting the menorah and its discovery in the larger historical narrative of Jews in southern Asia Minor.

Keywords

• Attalia
• Pamphylia
• Menorah
• Jewish community

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