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Archaeology

Israel is one of the more densely-excavated places on earth. The posts under this tag span five thousand years, from Chalcolithic finds and Bronze Age tels through Roman Caesarea, Byzantine mosaic floors, Crusader fortresses, Ottoman caravanserais, and the modern excavations still going on. Many describe active dig sites where each season’s work changes what’s known.

35 articles

35 articles
Sarcophagus believed to be that of King Herod (from the Israel Museum exhibition)
West Bank

Herodion

View out from Herodion Sarcophagus believed to be that of King Herod (from the Israel Museum exhibition) Theatre at Herodion
Rothschild coat of arms at Ramat Hanadiv Park
Centre · Sharon

Zichron Yaakov and surroundings

A field trip from Zichron Yaakov and the First Aliyah pioneers to Baron de Rothschild's mausoleum at Ramat Hanadiv, the Etzel and Roman ruins at Shuni, the Mei Kedem aqueduct and the Atlit detention camp.

Children's graves in the Zichron Yaakov cemetery Rothschild coat of arms at Ramat Hanadiv Park Etzel Memorial at Shuni Theatre at Shuni Inside the Roman aqueduct in Mei Kedem Reconstruction of a 'maapilim' ship at Atlit
Stone marking where Josef Trumpeldor was shot at Tel Chai
North · Galilee

Campus Upper Galilee day three: Eastern Upper Galilee

Our campus moves to the Eastern Upper Galilee, taking in Roman ruins at Tel Kedesh, battle sites at Tel Chai and the Koach Fortress, the Tanur waterfall, a view into Lebanon from Metulla and the vast tel of Hazor.

Roman Temple at Tel Kedesh Stone marking where Josef Trumpeldor was shot at Tel Chai HaShomer Memorial at Kfar Giladi Tanur Waterfall in Nachal Ayun View over Metulla and into Lebanon from Mt Tzefiya View from the acropolis at Tel Hazor Israelite fortress at Tel Hazor
Crusader capital in the Last Supper Room (Cenacle)
Centre · Jerusalem

Crusader Jerusalem

A walk through the Old City focused on the Crusader century: the Cenacle on Mount Zion, the Nea Church, the German Knights' hospice, the Crusader market, the Church of the Redeemer and the Holy Sepulchre.

Crusader capital in the Last Supper Room (Cenacle) Ruins of the Crusader Nea Church St Mary’s Hospice of the German Knights View over the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem The inimitable Bilal Abu Khalaf dons his traditional garb Crusader cloisters in the Church of the Redeemer Inside the cistern under the Coptic Church of St Helen Church of the Holy Sepulchre: site marking the creation of the world
Sidonite Burial Cave at Maresha
Centre · Judean Lowlands (Shfela)

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

A day across the Judean Lowlands: Tel Maresha's underground caves, the Roman city of Beit Guvrin (Eleutheropolis), and crawling through the Bar Kochba Revolt tunnels at Horvat Midras.

Underground columbarium at Tel Maresha Sidonite Burial Cave at Maresha Roman oval amphitheatre at Beit Guvrin Squeezing through the tunnels used during the Bar Kochba Revolt
Tel Dan hike
North · Golan Heights & Hermon

Campus Golan Day 2: the Lower Hermon and the Northern Golan Heights

Day 2 of our Golan Heights course: Tel Dan's salamander, the world's oldest arch, the Hellenist temple at Banias, the Yom Kippur battlefields at Mt Bental and the Valley of Tears, and a kumzitz to close.

Salamander at Tel Dan The world's oldest arch at Tel Dan Tel Dan hike Beit Ussishkin Museum Agrippa's Palace at Banias View towards the Syrian border with Israel from Mt Bental Valley of Tears Memorial Jubat el-Kabiera (the Big Juba) Birket Ram Campfire songs at our kumzitz
Excavations of the outer western (the Kotel) and southern walls of the Second Temple Mount
Centre · Jerusalem

Jerusalem in the Second Temple period

A field trip through Jerusalem's Second Temple period sites: the City of David, the Tyropoeon valley drainage channel, the Davidson Centre, the Burnt House, the Wohl Museum of Archaeology, and the excavations beneath the Western and southern walls of the Temple Mount.

Walking up the Roman drainage channel in the Tyropoeon valley Capital possibly from the second temple The Burnt House of the Katros family, Jerusalem The oldest mosaic in Israel in the Wohl Museum of Archaelogy, Jerusalem Mikve from the second temple period in the western wall excavations Herodian street from the second temple period
Arches Pool, Ramla
Centre

Ramla and Lod

A field trip to two adjacent cities in central Israel: the Karaite Centre, White Tower, Arches Pool and Great Mosque in Ramla, plus the Church of St George in Lod. A surprisingly rewarding day for return visitors.

Karaite Synagogue in Ramla Church of St Nicodemus and St Joseph of Arimathea in Ramla The White Tower, Ramla Arches Pool, Ramla The Great Mosque, Ramla Sarcophagus of St George, Lod
The ancient shopping street (cardo) of Beit Shean (Scythopolis)
North · Galilee

Belvoir Fortress and Beit Shean

A north-bound field trip south of the Sea of Galilee, taking in the Crusader fortress of Belvoir above the Jordan Valley and the vast Roman and Byzantine ruins of Scythopolis at Beit Shean.

View over the Jordan Valley from Belvoir Crusader Fortress Crusader pointed arches at Belvoir Fortress View over the ruins of Beit Shean (ancient Scythopolis). The ancient shopping street (cardo) of Beit Shean (Scythopolis) View into a theatre at Beit Shean (Scythopolis)
Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha
North · Galilee

Christianity Around the Sea of Galilee

Day two of our Christian odyssey takes us around the shores of the Kinneret: the Jesus Boat at Ginosar, the Mount of Beatitudes, the two churches at Tabgha, Capernaum, Kursi and Yardenit. With a quick lunch of St Peter's Fish in the middle.

Jesus Boat at Ginosar / Gennesaret Church of the Beatitudes View over the Sea of Galilee at the Mount of Beatitudes Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha Church of the Primacy of St Peter at Tabgha Church of the Twelve Apostles at Capernaum View into St Peter's House, Capernaum Synagogue at Capernaum / Kfar Nachum Byzantine church ruins at Kursi Baptism ceremony in the Jordan River at Yardenit
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