From the Jerusalem Post:
A Roman gate discovered during excavations by the University of Haifa in the ancient city of Hippos, located at Sussita National Park, may cast light on the mystical bronze mask of Pan, considered by archeologists to be the only object of its kind in the world.
Researchers from the university’s Zinman Institute of Archaeology announced on Monday that they believe the gate may have led to the compound of Pan, the god of shepherds, after unearthing it during last year’s excavation season….
“Now that the whole gate has been exposed, we not only have better information for dating the mask, but also a clue to its function. Are we looking at a gate that led to the sanctuary of the god Pan or one of the rustic gods?”
[…]
The researchers concluded that the original gateway was over 6m. high, while the building (propylaeum) itself was even taller,” the archeologist said.
“The propylaeum can probably be dated to the period of the emperor Hadrian, who reigned from 117 to 138 CE, or slightly earlier,” Eisenberg said. “The mask was presumably fixed to a wall or altar at the compound, as its rear side included remnants of lead used for stabilization purposes.”
The full story, including photos, is here. A 3D model of the gate is here.
Gateway at Hippos
