Category: Judean Lowlands (Shfela)

April 8, 2014

The Ayalon Valley

As we come towards the conclusion of our studies our course coordinator seems to have built our timetable with the exams in mind – a series of tours that touch on a variety of geographical areas and historical periods in order to refresh our memories in advance of the tests that await us shortly.

Today’s tour was in the area known as the Ayalon valley, which lies on the way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, so it was reasonably close to home. Unfortunately the weather forecast was not great, and we did indeed get reasonably wet at various points of the day. Still, this is all part of the job!

Israelite gate at Tel Gezer

Our day began at the ancient ruins of Tel Gezer. There are impressive ruins from the Canaanite period, but for those looking for archaeological confirmation of the bible, the remains of a gate in the Israelite style would seem to corroborate the description of King Solomon building such structures at Gezer, Meggido and Hazor – at all three sites similar gates have been unearthed by eager archaeologists.

Mini Jerusalem at Mini Israel

We drove a short distance from Gezer to the cheesily fun attraction of Mini Israel. The park contains miniature models of Israel’s key tourist attractions within a handily confined space. It is rather cute, and is a nice place to come perhaps at the conclusion of a trip as a reminder of what one has seen; it also moonlights as a concert venue and I can imagine that hearing live music there must be rather lovely.

Inside le Toron des Chevalliers

An even shorter distance away was the ruins of the old Crusader fortress of Toron des Chevalliers. Not much remains of what was once an impressive fortification, but we were able to hike from the top of the remains (in the pouring rain!) down to the modern monastery of Latrun. One theory is that the name of the area (Latrun) comes from that of the castle (Le Toron).

The Trappist Church at Latrun

The monastery is run by Trappist Monks, known in Israel as the silent monks due to their aversion to speaking unless it is absolutely necessary. The building is beautiful and it was difficult to resist the temptation to try some of the monks homemade produce – wine, oil, honey etc.

Byzantine period baptistery at ancient Emmaus

Another short drive took us to the site identified with ancient Emmaus. According to the New Testament, here Jesus appeared for the first time following his resurrection. There is great dispute about the location of Emmaus (and at least three if not more sites that claim to be the site of this ancient city) but it is clear that the identification of the site is ancient, as testified by the ruins of a 5th century Byzantine church.

Second Temple Period tomb in the Ayalon-Canada Park

Continuing our journey eastwards, we stopped for a short hike in the Ayalon-Canada Park along the ancient aqueducts which served the city we believe was Emmaus. The air was fresh, the greenery lush, and it was enough to take our minds of the fact that we were a little damp. Along the route were remains of ancient tombs and wine presses, to ensure that we kept our archaeological minds sharp as we walked.

The Tombs of the Maccabees – burial site of Mattisyahu himself?

After a brief stop in Modiin for lunch, we visited the site known as the Tombs of the Maccabees. According to Jewish tradition, this ancient dynasty rebelled against the oppression of the Greek rulers of the land in the 2nd century BCE, and restored a brief period of Jewish sovereignty. Their tombs are described as a grand mausoleum and many have searched for them without success. The site near Modiin, signposted from the 443 road was considered to have been their tombs, although this theory was later debunked. Still, it has not stopped a small group of religious Jews installing a proper tombstone to Mattisyahu, the father of the Hasmonean dynasty. Indeed, our guide left us with some doubt – more recent research may suggest that the site may actually be the burial plot of these ancient kings.

View over the biblical landscape of Neot Keduim

Our final stop of the day was at Neot Kedumim, a large nature reserve in which an attempt has been made to recreate a biblical landscape and atmosphere. Plants from the bible and animals from the bible can be found in the park, and it is possible to participate in biblical activities such as shepherding and writing a parchment scroll. I have found memories of a biblical meal at the site including fresh yoghurt, honey and dried fruits, but unfortunately it seems that the budget of our course did not extend this far on this occasion! A good enough reason to return, it would seem…

July 12, 2013

The Shfela (Judean Lowlands) in the Roman & Byzantine Periods

After the previous week’s adventures in the north of the country, it was time to travel south into the area known as the Shfela (or the Judean Lowlands), an area of hills that lies between Jerusalem and the coastal plain.

Today’s focus was on three sites: Tel Maresha (also known as Marissa), Beit Guvrin and Horvat Midras, spanning from the Hellenist period (2nd/3rd century BCE) until the Bar Kochba Revolt in the 2nd Century CE.

Our day began at Beit Guvrin National Park, at the upper part of the site, which is actually the ancient remains of Tel Maresha. This was originally a Jewish town in the First Temple Period, and it is still possible to see part of its original wall. Later, in the 2nd/3rd centuries CE, it was settled by Edomites who hailed originally from the area south of the Dead Sea (hence the Edom mountains in Jordan) but over the years they were joined by Phoenicians from Sidon (now in Lebanon) and retired Greek soldiers from the army of Alexander the Great, once he had conquered the region. The dominant culture seems to have been Hellenist, based on architecture that has been found.

Underground columbarium at Tel Maresha

The vast majority of the city does not remain, however there are a huge amount of underground caves to explore. These originally functioned as quarries but over the years were converted to form columbaria (pigeon coops), olive oil presses, cisterns, storerooms, even hideaways and living quarters. The attention to aesthetic detail is quite remarkable and the caves are extremely impressive. It was also pleasant to be hidden away from the searing summer heat. Our guide had helped excavate the site and it was nice to hear his anecdotes.

There is a still a lot of the site to excavate and for those who are interested in helping out, there is the Dig for a Day programme. We paid a visit to the sites they are currently excavating; I have participated myself on a couple of occasions and it is good fun, particularly as you always find something. Even if it is just a shard of 2000 year old pottery, it is still quite exciting to have discovered it yourself!

Sidonite Burial Cave at Maresha

One of the more impressive caves is the Phoenician burial cave. Discovered last century, the beautiful painted scenes and inscriptions have faded away since being exposed to light, so 20 years ago they were restored.

With this we left the Hellenist period of Maresha and moved forward to the Roman settlement in the area. There was a Jewish town from the 2nd temple period called Beit Guvrin which the Romans took over and developed into a major city named Eleutheropolis (City of the Free). We visited the bell caves which were large quarries in the Roman period, and then popped over the motorway to the other section of the national park.

Roman oval amphitheatre at Beit Guvrin

In this second section it is possible to see an oval amphitheatre; until recently considered unique in Israel (the others were circular; converted hippodromes) although they have just discovered one also in Caesarea and are busy excavating it. We wandered through the ruins and also part of what was once a huge bathhouse covering 4000m2.

To conclude our time at the site we visited the Crusader church which was later converted into a Mamluk fortress; the quality of the soil and water sources in the area meant that it was a popular place for continued settlement.

Squeezing through the tunnels used during the Bar Kochba Revolt

From Beit Guvrin, we travelled north to Horvat Midras. Here we learned about the guerrilla warfare developed by the Jews involved in the Bar Kochba Revolt against the Romans in the 2nd century. They adapted or dug tunnel systems under towns to hide within; every now and again bursting out to surprise and attack the enemy. The Romans were unused to this and for a time had no way of dealing with it; however they eventually adapted and the Revolt was quashed. There are little remains of the town of Midras, but it is possible to crawl through the tunnels used by those involved in the rebellion; to see their hiding places and to experience a little what it must have been like to hide down there. A warning: not for the claustrophobic; not a good place to take your best new clothes either!

With this experience our day was over; next week we turn to the impact of the Crusaders on Jerusalem.

June 25, 2013

Christianity in the Judean Hills

After a brief hiatus we returned to the topic of Christianity; this was the final of five field trips exclusively themed around Christian sites (although we are sure to visit more as the course continues) with a specific emphasis on how to guide these places for pilgrim visitors. As avid readers of this blog will no doubt recall, we spent two days in the north of the country in the area around Nazareth and then around the Sea of Galilee; then followed two trips in Jerusalem, the first around the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion, the second along the Via Dolorosa. This final trip included various sites of Christian interest in the surroundings of Jerusalem, namely Abu Ghosh, Ein Kerem and Beit Jamal.

We began our day at the Benedictine Monastery in Abu Ghosh. At first we met with a rather fantastic monk, called Olivier. He is French but speaks fluent Hebrew and gave us a brilliantly entertaining and informative talk about life as a monk and the Benedictine tradition. He peppered his speech with Hebrew slang and many jokes. It seems he is quite a character; also a huge promoter of coexistence and is proud of his monastery in the midst of an Arab village, next to a mosque, where everyone gets on. He also has close relations with Jews in the area and proudly sang to us the opening verse of the Jewish hymn Adon Olam inside the church!

Olivier – the wonderful Benedictine monk in Abu Ghosh

Speaking of the church, it is one of three examples of a complete Crusader church in Israel – the others were all destroyed at various points. Again, avid readers might recall that the other examples of this are St. Anne’s Church in Jerusalem and the Great Mosque of Ramla. It was fascinating to be inside and also note the original frescos which have recently been made visible via careful restoration. The crusaders believed this site marked Emmaus, where Jesus appeared following his resurrection.

Church of the Visitation, Ein Kerem

We left Abu Ghosh and travelled to the picturesque town of Ein Kerem in the suburbs of Jerusalem. This site is believed to have been the home of St Zachary and St Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. It is therefore important for two reasons: John the Baptist is an important figure so his birthplace is significant; furthermore Mary visited Elizabeth during her pregnancy. This event is marked at the Church of the Visitation which is reached via a relatively steep climb up the hill. As this is high up the hill it is considered the summer house of Zachary, and therefore based on the timings of the visit, it is considered that they would have met here.

Mary’s Spring, Ein Kerem

We returned down the hill, pausing briefly at Mary’s Spring, where she would have stopped to drink on the way to visit Elizabeth. We also learned a little here about the history of the town which until relatively recently was a very small village far from the Jerusalem city limits. They have also found remains of homes going back to the Second Temple period, which is helpful for supporting the belief that John was born here.

Church of St John the Baptist, Ein Kerem

In the middle of the town is the Church of St John the Baptist, considered to be his birthplace and the regular home of the family. In the crypt is a cave which is considered to have been their home, and the church itself is decorated with beautiful Spanish tiles; its refurbishment (it was originally constructed in the Crusader period) was funded by the Spanish royal family.

Spring at St John in the Desert, Even Sapir

Leaving the quaint confines of Ein Kerem, we stopped off in the nearby moshav of Even Sapir. He is the Church of St John in the Desert, marking the location described in Luke 1:80: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.” The Hebrew word midbar is often translated as ‘desert’ but really means ‘wilderness’; therefore despite the green airy location of the site it can still make sense; and clearly in ancient times it was relatively deserted although still not too far off from the birth place of John in Ein Kerem.

In the recently refurbished church there are beautiful murals; interestingly some of them contain Hebrew words and phrases as an example of Christians connecting with the original language of the Holy Scriptures.

Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant, Kiriat Yearim

We returned to Abu Ghosh, where following an excellent hummus lunch (Abu Ghosh is well known for its hummus), we moved up the hill to visit the Church of Our Lady the Ark of the Covenant in Kirat Yearim (Kirath Jearim). This site is identified with the biblical settlement of the same name, which is of great importance as it was a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant for either 20 or 50 years, depending on the reading of the scripture. The church is modest but beautiful and it is possible to enjoy the original 5th century mosaics from the Byzantine structure on the same site, as well as the view over the surround hills.

Convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem, Beit Jamal

From Kiriat Yearim we continued southwest to Beit Jamal. Here, on the grounds of a Salesian Monastery, we first visited a convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem. The nuns here live in relative isolation in their own individual rooms during the day and even have individually partitioned areas in the church for them to pray. We learned about their lifestyle and enjoyed the view into the church.

Church of St Stephen, Beit Jamal

From there we walked over to the monastery of the Salesian monks and entered into the Church of St Stephen. The site is identified with Kfar Gamla, which was considered to be the home of the great Torah sage Rabban Gamaliel the Elder. He is identified as the Gamaliel who speaks on behalf of St Stephen during his judgement as detailed in the Book of Acts. Tradition then holds that following Stephens martyrdom (Stephen was the first Christian martyr) he took him to be buried in his home.

This site, home to remains of a 5th century church, is considered to be that burial site, although it is known that the bones of St Stephen were later found and removed, first to Jerusalem and later to Rome. The modern church is quite beautiful and has an interesting fresco style which is designed to appear as if it is a mosaic.

We exited the church and enjoyed the last rays of light over the Judean Lowlands before heading home. I have really enjoyed these Christianity themed trips; the background to all the sites is fascinating and the churches are beautiful. I look forward to one day guiding them myself!

January 29, 2013

The Biblical Judean Lowlands (Shfela)

After exploring the biblical Negev region on our previous field trip, this week we were staying in the biblical period but moving our focus to the area of the Judean Lowlands (the Shfela, in Hebrew). This is an area of hills and valleys that runs roughly from Mt Hebron westwards until meeting the flat coastal plain. Its main city is Beit Shemesh. In biblical times it was a border area between the tribe of Judah and the Philistines, hence it witnessed quite a lot of tension.

We began our day with a drive through the Tzora forest along the so called ‘Sculpture Trail’. This was a project run by the JNF and encouraged mostly local residents (many new immigrants) to make sculptures in the forest. I don’t think I would particularly go out of my way to see these sculptures in the future, but we did also go up the Tel Tzora (you may recall by now that a Tel is an archaeological mound), where we had a commanding view of the area from which to take our bearings, and where we were able to visit the site traditionally associated with the grave of Samson and his father Manoah.

Samson’s Tomb on Tel Tzora

Our guide took this opportunity to regale us with the story of Samson from the bible, which took place in the area of the Judean lowlands, pointing out key sites from the viewpoint. And then some members of the group took the opportunity to visit the tomb which is considered a place to pray for strength.

Sculpture Garden in Beit Shemesh

Continuing our artistic opening to the day, we made a brief stop in the Gan Golan sculpture garden in the historical centre of Beit Shemesh. Golan Peli sadly was killed during the first intifada; his parents were artists and used this space next to their house to create sculptures and place them there in his memory. The sculptures all represent traditional ancient life or stories from the bible. It is a small garden, but if one is in Beit Shemesh anyway, it is a nice place to visit.

Inside the ancient cistern at Tel Beit Shemesh

We pulled out of the modern town of Beit Shemesh and returned to biblical times, visiting Tel Beit Shemesh, the site considered to be the location of the biblical city of the same name. Here we read from the book of Samuel, hearing the story of the Philistine capture of the Ark of the Covenant and its return to the Israelites at Beit Shemesh. Our guide pointed out the route it would have taken as it was brought up to the city on a wagon from the Philistine territory. As part of the excavations they have discovered an ancient cistern and we brought out our torches to have a quick wander inside, which brought a small sense of adventure to our enterprise.

The Israelite fortress from the period of King David at Khirbet Qeiyafa

A short journey down route 38 took us to Khirbet Qeiyafa, another archaeological mound. As recently as 2007 excavators here discovered a fortress in the Israelite style. The site has become important as carbon dating of olive pits unearthed here date the site to the period associated with the rule of King David (although as with most archaeology in Israel, this is majority but not consensus opinion). Various other evidence corroborates that it was a Jewish settlement. This would therefore be an extremely important site; the only site we have from this time period. But it remains fairly unknown to the public; excavations are still taking place and it is not signposted at all from the road. To visit, I recommend finding an appropriate tour guide!

View over the Judean Lowlands (Shfela) from Tel Azeka

Close by we visited another archaeological mound: Tel Azeka, which is in the midst of the Britannia Park, a JNF forest funded by donations from the UK (hurrah for the UK!). We ascended the tel and enjoyed a commanding view of the region. Our guide read to us from the story of David and Goliath and pointed out where various elements of the story took place. There is something very powerful in hearing these stories one grew up with in one’s childhood in situ. One begins to envision the tale taking place before one’s eyes; it becomes much more real.

View over the Judean Lowlands (Shfela) from Tel Lachish

Our final visit was our most southern, Tel Lachish. This site is mentioned a huge amount in biblical and non biblical sources from the time, and was host to a large complex of temples in the Canaanite period and the second most important Judean city in the Israelite period. The Assyrian king Sennacherib laid waste to it on his war campaign in 701 BCE and a relief of his battle is exhibited in the British museum in London. We made do with a copy and our guide explained the details of the battle; we were able to see the ramp that Sennacherib’s troops built in order to go up to and rout the Tel. It was a major victory but Sennacherib did not make it to Jerusalem; the bible says that his troops were struck by a plague; his memoirs say that he returned to defend a Babylonian invasion.

The Israelites did return to Lachish eventually but the city was attacked and destroyed again during Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion in the 6th century BCE. A somewhat unfortunate bunch, it seems. The ruins are extensive and the site also commands an outstanding view of the Judean Lowlands over to the coastal plain. It was with this view in our minds that we returned home to Tel Aviv.