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Tunnels

Tunnels turn up across Israel’s archaeology, from water systems and quarry galleries to hiding complexes from Jewish revolts against Rome. The post here covers the Roman and Byzantine-period tunnels of the Shfela.

10 articles

10 articles
Hiking up the Ein Tina stream in the Golan Heights with the assistance of some helpful hand railings
North · Galilee

Going off the beaten path in northern Israel

A two-day road trip through the Galilee Panhandle and the Golan Heights: the Hunin Crusader fortress, a sealed Hezbollah tunnel near the Lebanon border, the Roman temples at Hurvat Omrit, the Hexagon Pool, and a Yom Kippur War memorial at Tel Saki.

A spelt snack at the Pitputim Bakery in Rosh Pina Clambering through the Yiftach Crevices in Israel's Upper Galilee with the help of iron handholds The Hunin Crusader Fortress Memorial to the South Lebanon Army on the Israel/Lebanon border The blocked-up entrance to a tunnel that Hizbollah dug under the Israel-Lebanon border (the border is in the background) with the objective of conducting terror attacks within Israel. A stream flows through Hurshat Tal National Park in the Hula Valley Ruins of three Roman temples at Hurvat Omrit in the Golan Heights A sizzling steak at HaBokrim restaurant in Merom Golan Nachal Meshusim (the Hexagon stream) flows through the Golan Heights Remarkable geological formations at the Hexagon Pool in the Golan Heights Hiking up the Ein Tina stream in the Golan Heights with the assistance of some helpful hand railings The memorial at Tel Saki in the Golan Heights to Israeli soldiers who fell in the Yom Kippur War De Karina chocolatier in Ein Zivan, the Golan Heights
Walking the Old City ramparts in Jerusalem
Centre · Jerusalem

Jerusalem: a summary and a conclusion

The final field trip of the course: a day around Jerusalem taking in the tomb of the prophet Samuel at Nabi Samuel, the Jaffa Gate, the Tower of David, Christ Church, a walk along the Old City ramparts, and Nachlaot and the Machane Yehuda market, before reflecting back on the past year and a half.

Samuel's Tomb (Nabi Samwill) View south to Jerusalem from Nabi Samuel Valedictory breakfast! Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem Excavations inside the Tower of David View over the Old City of Jerusalem from the Tower of David Model of the Dome of the Rock inside the Tower of David Museum Christ Church, Jerusalem Walking the Old City ramparts in Jerusalem Original house in Nachlaot
Bikura Spring at the Sataf Park
Centre

The Judean Mountains

A day in the Judean Mountains west of Jerusalem: archaeological excavations at Motza, the Crusader castle of Belmont, the Sataf farming terraces, the Scroll of Fire Holocaust sculpture, and a sunset from Pilots' Mountain.

Inside the former 'ancient' synagogue at Motza View out from Tel Tzuba Sheikh Saida Ruins Bikura Spring at the Sataf Park Natan Rapoport's 'Scroll of Fire' Sunset over Nachal Soreq and the Judean Mountains from the Pilots' Mountain lookout
Flamingos in the Avrona Salt Pools near Eilat
South · Negev

Campus Eilat Day Three: Southern Arava

Day three of Campus Eilat: heading up the Southern Arava — the Eilat Bird Park, the Avrona farms and fugarot tunnels, the Doum Palms, Shechoret Canyon, the Chai Bar and a desert kite, ending with a Chanukah candle lighting back in Eilat.

Our guide shows us some migrating birds in the Eilat Bird Park Flamingos in the Avrona Salt Pools near Eilat Crawling through the fugarot / qanat tunnels at the Avrona Farms Doum Palms in the Arava Hiking through Canyon Shechoret View after hiking through Canyon Shechoret Ancient predator trap Safari in the Chai Bar: roaming Oryxes Chai Bar: feeding time for the leopards Remains of a desert kite in the Negev Our infamous course coordinator Benny lights the chanukkiah
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
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
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
The Western Wall (the Kotel)
Centre · Jerusalem

Jerusalem: First Temple and Second Temple Periods

A field-trip filling in the gaps between the two Jerusalem temple-period days: the Roman 10th Legion's camp under Binyanei Hauma, the Western Wall Tunnels, an advance preview of the Eastern Cardo, the Kidron mausolea and the burial tombs at Ketef Hinnom.

Roman Kiln at the Jerusalem ICC King David's Tomb Inside the Western Wall Tunnels The Western Wall (the Kotel) Excavations in the Western Wall Plaza Mausoleum in Nachal Kidron (Valley of the King) First Temple Period Tomb at Ketef Hinnom View into Gei Ben Hinnom
Machpela Cave (Cave of the Patriarchs)
West Bank

South Mount Hebron

Returning from glandular fever for a complex field-trip to the South Hebron Hills: the Cave of Machpela, Tel Rumeida, the Byzantine ruins of Susya and Anim, and the illegal outpost at Avigail. Politics unavoidable, the day deeply absorbing.

Machpela Cave (Cave of the Patriarchs) Ancient ruins at Tel Rumeida View over Hebron from Tel Rumeida Byzantine era synagogue at Susya Byzantine era synagogue at Susya Byzantine era synagogue at Anim View over the Hebron hills from Avigail
"The Broad Wall": remains of Hezekiah's 7 meter wide northern defensive wall in Jerusalem
Centre · Jerusalem

Jerusalem in the First Temple Period

Our first field-trip to Jerusalem, focusing on the First Temple period: a panorama from the Haas Promenade, the archaeology of the City of David, Hezekiah's Broad Wall and the Israelite gate tower, and the Ariel Centre's model of the early city.

View north over Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade View from the top of the City of David over South and East Jerusalem Inside the water tunnels in the City of David "The Broad Wall": remains of Hezekiah's 7 meter wide northern defensive wall in Jerusalem Remains of the gate tower from Hezekiah's wall around Jerusalem Model of Jerusalem in First Temple times at the Ariel Center
What guests say

If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.

Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster

Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.

Seasoned Israel traveller

Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.

Berkeley Haas Business School student
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