ABSTRACT
Since ancient times, European construction history has been confronted with the existence of ceramic pots inlaid in walls often related to acoustic purposes. This paper focuses on the ceramic pots embedded in the masonry walls of the synagogue of Tomar, built in the 15th century. Although acoustic vases in Christian and Muslim worship buildings are relatively well known and documented, no similar studies published in English were found reporting similar devices in other synagogues. This paper attempts to shed light on the presence of embedded ceramic vases in the walls of this synagogue building in Tomar. The study considers the research on ceramic vases in ancient worship buildings as well as current acoustic research on the context of cavity resonators as an ancient building technique. The origins of Tomar synagogue were also investigated in order to argue this practice can be regarded as an expression of a coexistent tradition.
