A menorah graffito at an ancient library in Ephesus

MENORAH WATCH FOR PASSOVER: Menorah graffiti: Carving on Ephesus Celsus Library stairs an enigma. The menorah became employed as a Jewish symbol sometime in the 3rd century, so far three have been found in ancient Ephesus which had a flourishing Jewish community (Judith Sudilovsky, Jerusalem Post).

Julius Aquilas, the son of Roman senator and Roman Legion Commander Celsus Polemeanus, began construction of the Celsus Library in honor of his father, around 110 CE and it was completed in 135. Celsus is buried in a sarcophagus beneath the main entrance of the library.

Somewhere along the ancient history of the library, someone carved a graffiti image of a menorah into one of the steps of the library’s marble staircase. The history of the menorah can be nothing more than conjecture, noted Dr. Avner Ecker of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University.

I don't think I knew about the Celsus Library. Sadly, all the scrolls are long since gone.

For other examples of menorah graffiti, see here and links.

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