VILNIUS, LITHUANIA—Archaeologists have unearthed solemn artifacts, artworks, and parts of the main prayer hall of Vilnius’ Great Synagogue, Haaretz reports. The Renaissance-Baroque–style building was built in the seventeenth century and was the center of Jewish worship in the city for centuries, before being ransacked by the Nazis in 1941 and subsequently demolished by the Soviets after World War II. Since 2011, it has been the focus of a joint archaeological effort conducted by the Lithuanian Archaeological Society, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and the Jewish community of Lithuania. Recent work has uncovered the impressive remains of the bimah, or central podium, parts of the women’s gallery, and colorful floors decorated with floral and geometric motifs. The team also recovered seat plaques bearing the names of frequent worshippers and one inscribed with the Ten Commandments. “The finds give us a moving, almost personal familiarity with the people who prayed here and communal life that revolved around the synagogue for centuries,” said John Seligman of the Israel Antiquities Authority. For more on archaeology in Vilnius, go to "The Grand Army Diet."
