archaeology -

Archaeologists uncover treasures of Vilnius’ Great Synagogue as Lithuanian Jews dispute its future

August 4, 2026August 4, 2026Jesse Orine

VILNIUS, Lithuania — Archaeologists have uncovered the full floor of Lithuania’s historic Great Synagogue, revealing treasures nearly erased by Nazi and Soviet occupations — and exposing rifts between Lithuanian Jews over how to preserve and interpret what survived. Locals walking through the center of Vilnius now pass a hole in the ground, a portal to […]

Mikveh unearthed beneath Western Wall plaza shows evidence of Temple’s destruction

December 29, 2025David Leibermann

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000‑year‑old Jewish ritual bath beneath the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem that bears ash and destruction debris from the Roman conquest of the city in 70 C.E., officials said. The find, announced Monday by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, lies just west of where pilgrims once entered […]