A new exhibit of the ancient Jewish settlement of Hukok at the Yigal Allon Center will offer the public its first glimpse into one of the most intriguing archaeological sites uncovered in Israel in recent years, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Thursday morning.

At the heart of the exhibit sit two unique finds: a complete floor mosaic depicting Samson carrying the gates of the ancient Philistine city of Gaza on his shoulders, found in the ancient settlement’s synagogue, and a never-before-seen cache of bronze coins uncovered at the site.

The ruins of the ancient settlement of Hukok, which reached its peak during the Roman-Byzantine period, sit in the heart of the Amiad Forest in an open space near a spring of the same name.

Visible from the museum’s windows, Hukok is best known for the impressive ancient synagogue uncovered during excavations by an archaeological mission led by Professor Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina, where archaeologists unearthed several extraordinary mosaics, including rare biblical and extra-biblical scenes.

“The range of the Hukok mosaics is unequalled by any other synagogue in Israel,” IAA noted.

The original Samson Mosaic is the only one of the synagogue’s mosaics currently being displayed to the public. Alongside it, however, are photographs shared by Magness of the other mosaics within the synagogue.

“The Hukok mosaics are some of the most exciting and moving finds I have ever been privileged to unearth,” said Magness. “I am delighted that the original Samson mosaic, alongside images of the site’s many other mosaics, are being displayed to the public so close to where they were found.”

“For me, they are still part of an ongoing research effort, and therefore this exhibition invites the public to join the journey of discovery as it unfolds.”

While the mosaics are some of the most prominent pieces found at the site, the new exhibit seeks to show that Hukok is more than what was found on the synagogue floor: a village with a spring, agricultural installations, ritual baths (mikvaot), a hidden underground escape network, and the open landscape around them.

Through archaeological finds, photographs, a small-scale model of the settlement, and an experiential space simulating part of its underground world, visitors are able to set foot into a town whose discoveries are still coming to light.

Alongside the Samson Mosaic, the IAA has provided a hoard of bronze coins found within Hukok’s hidden escape tunnel system. Other finds, including a ring and a dagger, have also since been discovered within the tunnels.

“Hukok is a small site telling a big story: about a living Jewish Galilee community in the Roman-Byzantine period, about an extraordinary artistic creation, and about an entire region whose life revolved around the synagogue,” said IAA Exhibit Curator Dr. Einat Ambar-Armon. “Since preparing the site itself for public visitation is expected to take several more years, our exhibition already serves as a first gateway to the village of Hukok and to the archaeological and human story it reveals, located near and within sight of the real place.”

Ambar-Armon explained the exhibit comes as part of the Yigal Alon Center turning its second floor into an encompassing archaeology floor titled “‘When Galilee was the Center.”

The exhibit's placement, set next to the “Sanhedrin Trail” exhibit, “enables the visitor to see the town’s heritage within the lens of a broader picture, the Galilee as a space of Jewish life, creativity, community and study during the Roman-Byzantine period, as the Mishna and Jerusalem Talmud developed here in this region,” she added.

Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky called the exhibit an “invitation to embark upon a fascinating journey to one of the most impressive archaeological sites ever discovered in Israel.”

“Preserving heritage and making it publicly accessible is an integral part of KKL-JNF’s mission to connect people, the land, and its history.”

Eli Escusido, IAA director-general, echoed the sentiment, adding that “[Hukok] opens a rare window into the region’s past during the Roman-Byzantine period.”

“The exhibition at the Yigal Allon Center creates an opportunity to bring to the general public the story of a site that is still undergoing research, preservation, and development. This is an expression of the role of the Israel Antiquities Authority: not only to uncover findings, but to make the past accessible and meaningful for the entire public.”

Dr. James Fraser, Dorot director of the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, noted that the opening of the exhibit, alongside the ongoing conservation and documentation of Hukok itself, “marks an important stage in a multifaceted process to reveal the rich Hukok story to the public. We are proud to be key partners in this rewarding enterprise, made possible in part thanks to the support of the United States Embassy in Israel and the United States Department of State.”

“This vital assistance expresses international cooperation in the research, preservation, and accessibility of cultural heritage, at a symbolic time when the United States is celebrating 250 years of its own independence.”

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu added that “the spectacular Hukok finds and mosaics are the living voice of a Jewish community that dwelt here in the Galilee some 1,600 years ago, gathered in their synagogue, read, told and taught the stories of the Bible uniquely reinforced by the images around them, and left behind for us a profound testimony to Jewish identity, faith, and roots in the Land of Israel.”

“The ‘Secrets of Hukok’ exhibition connects the public to this continuum, from this ancient Galilee village to the present-day State of Israel, and expresses our commitment to preserving, researching, and making accessible the heritage of the Jewish people in their land for all to see,” he said.

The exhibit is a joint initiative between Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, supported by the US government, and the Israel Antiquities Authority.