Schoolboys on a recess break playing football/soccer on a raised prayer area on the Haram esh-Sharif.  The Mihrab, the niche that points the faithful towards Mecca, is being used as a goal.

Work taking place at the entrance to the Marwani Mosque located at the southeastern corner of the Haram esh-Sharif.  The Marwani Mosque is the refurbished "Solomon's Stables" that can accommodate 10,000 worshipers.

When this area was excavated, it would have been an opportune time for an archaeological excavation, but the debris was just discarded.  Some of the debris has been processed by "The Temple Mount Sifting Project."

Map of the area where the synagogue is located.

#75 = Synagogue

#72 = Gymnasium/Palestra

#73 = Stadium

View looking east.  The remains near the water are those of the synagogue.  In the background is a portion of the island of Mykonos.

View looking north down into the water–filled cistern that is under the western portion of the southern room of the synagogue.

View looking south east at the southern wall of the south room of the synagogue.  Note the arch over a cistern and the benches that line the wall.

View looking west at the "Moses Seat" and benches on both sides of it.  Note the carved decorative elements on the seat.

View looking west south–west at the main room of the synagogue.  Above the center of the image the "Moses Seat" and benches on both sides of it are visible on the west wall of the structure.

View looking west south–west at the main room of the synagogue.  Above the center of the image the "Moses Seat" and benches on both sides of it are visible on the west wall of the structure.

View looking west south–west at the rooms of the synagogue.  On the right (north) side of the image is the main room of the synagogue with the "Moses Seat" and benches on both sides of it.  To the left of the columns benches and an arch that covers a cistern are visible o the southern wall of the synagogue.

View looking west south–west at the rooms of the synagogue.  In the foreground, the white marble and flagstone marks the line of the eastern wall of the synagogue.  On the right (north) side of the image is the main room of the synagogue with the "Moses Seat."  To the left of the columns benches and an arch that covers a cistern are visible o the southern wall of the synagogue.

Larger than life-size marble statute of a seated man on display at the site of Gortyna.

View looking west at the theater that is located on the southeastern slope of the acropolis.  Parts of the cavea are preserved, as is the protective wall around the orchestra area.

View of a 1,600 year old olive tree that actually has grown around a Roman column!

Remnants of one of the aqueducts at Gortyna.

View looking south at the area of the forum, praetorium, and nymphaeum at Gortyna.

One of the small boats docked at Fair Havens (Kaloi Limenes).  ALL of the inscriptions on the boat are in ARABIC not Greek!  Hmmm.  Picture was taken May 31, 2004.

View looking down on a cove to the west of major bay of Fair Havens.

View looking east at the interior of the Cave of Saint Paul.

Legend has it that Paul stayed at this cave while the ship was anchored at Fair Havens.  The bell tower (white) of the Chapel of St. Paul is visible above it to the right.

View looking east at the entrance to the Cave of Saint Paul. Legend has it that Paul stayed at this cave while the ship was anchored at Fair Havens.  The bell tower (white) of the Chapel of St. Paul is visible above it to the right.

View looking northeast at the white Chapel of St. Paul, and below it to the left the Cave of St. Paul.  Legend has it that Paul stayed at this cave while the ship was anchored at Fair Havens.

View of the iconostasis of the Chapel of St. Paul.  In the center is the open "Royal Door."  To the right of the door are the icons of Jesus and the Angel Gabriel.  To the left the icons of the Virgin with Child and the patron of the Church, St. Paul.

This 16 line North Phoenecian inscription was found by the excavations at Zincirli in 1902.  In the upper left, Kulamuwa is pointing with his right hand to the divine symbols.  The inscription is divided into two parts by a horizontal band. 

In the first part Kulamuwa reconts the success of his foreign policy and in the second he praises his domestic accomplishments.

On display in the Pergamum Museum in Istanbul.

For a modern translation see:

Younger, K. Lawson Jr.  "The Kulamuwa Inscription (2.30)." Pages 147–48 in volume 2 of The Context of Scripture — Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World. 3 vols. Edited by William W. Hallo, and K. Lawson Younger, Jr. Leiden: Brill, 2000.

Rosenthal, Franz. Rosenthal, Franz.  "Kilamuwa of Y'DY-SAM'AL." Pages 654–55 in The Ancient Near East Supplementary Texts and Pictures Relating to the Old Testament. Edited by Pritchard, James B. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1969.

View looking east-southeast at the bay of Kaloi Limenes (Good Harbor = biblical Fair Havens; Acts 27:8) and the modern refueling island (sigh!).

View looking west at the bay of Kaloi Limenes (Good Harbor = biblical Fair Havens; Acts 27:8).