(Jewish Group) Archeologists uncover floor of the Great Synagogue of Vilna, destroyed by the Nazis and Soviets [View all]

A new excavation has unearthed parts of the Great Synagogue of Vilna, once the oldest and most important building for Lithuanian Jews before it was destroyed by the Nazis and razed by the Soviets.

Archeologists found the synagogue floor decorated with red, black and white flowers, along with the remains of a vibrant wall painted in red and blue, they said on Thursday. They also uncovered part of the women’s gallery, water reservoirs used for the mikvah (or ritual bath) and a large pillar that once flanked the bimah (or prayer platform), now collapsed on its side.

This latest excavation is the fifth in a series that began in 2015, when a ground-penetrating radar first traced remnants of the synagogue. Previous sessions revealed the bimah, the Torah ark and Torah scroll and a Hebrew inscription. The project is led by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Association of Lithuanian Archeology, the Good Will Foundation and Lithuania’s Jewish community.

“The magnificent remains we are discovering — the synagogue bimah that was uncovered during the previous excavation seasons, as well as the colorful decorations of the floor and walls — bring back moments in the life of a lost vibrant community,” said the excavation directors, Jon Seligman of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Justinas Rakas of the Lithuanian Archeological Society, in a statement.

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