Pagan altar found at Israel construction site

Israel on Thursday announced the discovery of a 2,000-year-old pagan altar at the site where plans for a new hospital wing have come under fire from ultra-Orthodox Jews who fear bones found there may be of Jews

The find of what the Israel Antiquities Authority calls a “magnificent” altar gives a boost to the authorities at a time when ultra-orthodox Jews condemned the removal of bones from ancient graves at the site in the southern city of Ashkelon.

“The find further corroborates the assertion that this place is a pagan cemetery,” the IAA said in a statement.

The altar is about 60 centimetres (24 inches) tall and is decorated with a bull’s head from which dangle laurel wreaths. Such altars usually stood in Roman temples, the statement said.

It was discovered as the IAA was overseeing development of a hospital wing designed to withstand rockets fired from the nearby Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants.
[...more...]

Read Another Article

Cults thrive on tax-free status, senator says
Wanda Barzee gets 15 years for Elizabeth Smart kidnapping

Related News Articles Topic(s): Archeology • Paganism Related Tags / Keywords: Archeology • Israel • Paganism Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Archeology Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Researcher presents thesis on tiny pagan movement in Israel Knesset panel: ‘Strengthen ties with S. American Evangelical Christians’ Don Rimer, controversial ‘expert’ on occult crimes, passes away In Israel thousands protest extremism by Ultra-Orthodox Jews Israel symposium to explore legislation aimed at curbing cults Dead Sea Scrolls online after high-tech photo process Israel court orders foreclosure of Jaffa’s Scientology building Three suspects in Jerusalem cult indicted Israel Police busts ultra-Orthodox cult suspected of abusing women and children Israel: Welfare Ministry calls for legislation to fight cults

Search Religion News Blog