During April 2006, an excavation was conducted in the ancient synagogue of Ma‘on-Nirim (Permit No. A-4777; map ref. 14371–6/58215–20), prior to conservation work. The work, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Jewish National Fund, was directed by V. Nikolsky-Carmel, with the assistance of V. Pirsky (surveying and drafting) and laborers from the JNF.
The work was carried out as part of the synagogue conservation project, aiming to ascertain the structure’s plan (S. Levy, The Ancient Synagogue at Maon (Nirim), Eretz-Israel 6, 1960, pp. 77–82 [Hebrew]; O. Yogev, The Synagogue at Maon – New Discoveries, Eretz-Israel 19, 1987, pp. 208–215 [Hebrew]).
Three probes were excavated and ancient remains were discovered directly below surface (depth c. 0.2 m). Wall sections (width c. 0.6 m) built of mud bricks were exposed in two probes (L101, L102; Fig. 1); these were probably sections of a wall from the synagogue compound’s enclosure wall. A section of a channel (length c. 4.5 m), oriented northeast-southwest, was exposed in the third probe (L103). It led to a cistern situated southeast of the synagogue. The channel (width c. 0.2 m) was built of limestone and covered with limestone tiles whose remains were discovered in its eastern part.
The bottom part of a Gaza-type jar was placed in a sump (diam. c. 0.25 m), discovered at the northeastern end of the channel. It seems that the channel was intended for collecting rainwater from the roof of the building that was next to the synagogue.