Old Jaffa Museum of Antiquities
Old Jaffa Museum of Antiquities islocated in the "Ancient Saraya":
The old governmental Ottoman house. A unique complex, historically and architecturally.
It is an Ottoman complex on top of Crusaders Fortress remains, with beautiful curves ceilings. It was re-built at the 17th century and most probably used for lodging. In- 1811 Abu-Nabout turned it into the governmental house. Along side the governmental quarter, there was a big gate, a well, prison, post office, bath-house, mosque, non roofed court, surrounded with column patio, open and closed halls for animals, goods & for lodgers, with heating facilities for the gests and the inhabitants.
With the city growth and the governmental transfer into the "New Saraya" house(at the Clock Square), the house returned to the Demyani's family:
A famous, Arabic Greek-Orthodox family, that traditionally served as "The Consuls of four nations"; mediators between the Christiansand the local Ottoman regime in Jaffa.
Along side the family quarter, and the lodgings, they founded the well known soap factory. During the Independence War at 1948, it was abandoned, and letter on become Tel Aviv Municipal estate, defined as an historical preservation site.
The Museum was founded at 1960 by the late Dr.Kapaln an archeologist pioneer of the new Jewish state that excavated in Jaffa and its surroundings.
The museum contains archeological findings commencing the Neolithic age to the Roman-Byzantine era, testimony of people, nations, and historical occurrence sequences.
In the findings: Doorpost stones of Raamses II's "Arc de Triomphe" to mark his safe return to Jaffa after the Battle of Kadesh BC1274 against the Hittite Empire, his of name and titles carved on it. The Assyria King Sanherive prism transcription (BC 18th century), Ashmonazar burial transcription (BC 5th century), icons, working tools, hoarding vessels, house wares, ornaments, oil lamps, act. Some are testimony of local manufacturing, others of imports, comers or conquest relations with Mediterranean and European cities.
*The Jewish aspect: the cosmopolitan port city of Jaffa, become a refuge city for Jews, and was exclusivelypopulated by Jews during the "Maccabean Revolt", they even turned to piracy attacking the Roman fleet…
Findings of that era, comes from a Jewish house (The new visitors center in the Kdumim Square), dated to 50-60 A.D. the Roman-Hellenistic era- tales of every day lifestyle & house-hold. Tombstones from the Jaffa ancient Jewish cemetery, in Abu-Kabir, dated to the 2-5th century A.D. the Roman-Byzantic era, and the amazing story of their travel back & forth from Oslo Norway …and more.
Old Jaffa Antiquities Museum combines the permanent archaeological exhibition with changing contemporary art exhibitions.
It is only but natural for ancient Jaffa to tie archaeology and modern art:
Jaffa is characterized by the endless cycle of conquest and destruction, which followed creativity drives of construction and flourishing, a remarkable ability to arise from ashes.
So here we are 9,450 years of steady settlement and counting…
Old Jaffa Antiquities Museum
Mifratz Shlomo 10, Old Jaffa
