Shikhin

Shikhin (Hebrew: שִׁיחִין, variant spelling שׁוּחִין), known in Greek as Asochis, was an ancient Jewish village in Galilee which was abandoned in the fourth century CE.

Shikhin is located in central Galilee next to the ancient city of Sepphoris, near the modern-day Moshav Tzippori,[1] within Zippori National Park[2] and about 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Nazareth.

[2] The Plain of Asochis lay nearby, identified today as Beit Netofa Valley (Sahel el-Buttauf in Arabic), an area south of Kfar Manda, but due north of Sepphoris.

[1] Strange said he believes the site will further lend understanding of Galilean Jewish village life and the economy during the period of time when the Talmud was written and Christianity was establishing itself.

[10] The hill of Jebel Qat lays outside and to the east of the village, and there archaeologists found a cave used as hideaway, signs of quarrying, and of olive and/or wine industry.

[3] Three sarcophagi, largely unadorned except for some non-figurative stone relief, have been uncovered on neighbouring Jebel Qat, near one of a number tombs discovered around the village.

An oil lamp fragment found at Shikhin, decorated with menorah and lulav
Shikhin jug that was damaged in a furnace
View from Tzippori of Beit Netofa Valley . Shikhin is located along the left-hand edge of the photographs is highlighted in red. On the right hand side of the picture is Hoshaya .