Nahman Avigad

Nahman Avigad (actually Reiss, born September 25, 1905 in Zwalow, Galicia, † 28 January 1992 in Jerusalem) was an Israeli archaeologist and epigraphists.

Life

Nahman Avigad studied architecture in Brno (formerly Brno ). In 1926 he emigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine. In 1928 he married Shulamit Levin. He took part in the excavations of synagogues under Eliezer Sukenik in Beth Alpha and Hammath - Gader.

In 1952 he received his doctorate with his dissertation to the tombs of the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem. For this work he received the 1954 Bialik Prize. From 1949 until his retirement in 1974 he taught at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

In 1953 he directed the excavations at Bet She'arim. He also took part in the excavations at Masada and Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls edited one.

1969 Avigad was asked to start the excavations in the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. Among the finds there was one of the earliest images of the menorah, as she stood in the Jerusalem temple. Also, a generously proportioned villa of the top layer of the Herodian period, remains of the Nea Church and a 21 m wide road were uncovered from the fifth century, which connected the Holy Sepulchre with the Nea Church. To this day, remains controversial whether the wall is also found is identical to the wall, which is mentioned as " broad wall " in the book of Nehemiah. It extends over 24 m, has a thickness of 7 m and is founded on the rock of the Temple Mount.

As the highest award received Avigad 1977 Israel Prize in the first ever category geography of Israel.

Works

• Discovering Jerusalem. Oxford 1984, ISBN 0631135332