Archaeo. & Images 2

Yodefat Explorations

Images. The site of Yodefat, located in the Western Lower Galilee, is a few miles north of ancient Sepphoris. The site was identified as Yodefat of the Second Temple Period over a hundred years ago. According to Flavius (The Jewish Wars), the town was fortified in fear of the Romans invasion along with 18 other sites. Indeed, Yodefat, led by Joseph...

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Lod mosaic floor Explorations

Images. In course of a salvage excavation initiated in April 1996 in Lod, a very elaborate mosaic floor was discovered. This floor, dated to the third - fourth century A.D., probably adorned the reception hall of a Roman villa. The mosaic floor consists of two colorful rectangular carpets and a broad transverse band separating them. The mosaic cont...

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Maresha Explorations

Images. In the Hellenistic period Maresha was a major town in the Judean lowlands (Shephelah). Its population was cosmopolitan in nature, including Phoenicians, Idumeans, Greeks and probably also Jews from nearby Judea. Extensive excavations in the last decade have revealed its fortifications, private houses and elaborate burial caves. Outstanding ...

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Monastery in Ma'ale Adumim Explorations

Images. Building operations in the new town of Maale Adummim, east of Jerusalem, revealed the remains of a Byzantine monastery, built in the late 5th century CE by Martyrius. Israel...

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Tiberias Explorations

Images. The city of Tiberias, named after the Roman Emperor Tiberius, was founded in the reign of Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, in 20 CE, with the intention of replacing Sepphoris as capital of the Galilee. Following the Roman urban tradition, Tiberias was a planned city from its inception. As in every Roman city in Eretz-Israel, publi...

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Tyche from the Church of St.Bacchus Explorations

Images. A Byzantine Church was recently excavated east of Shoham. Fragments of a unique marble medallaion portraying Tyche (Fortuna) were found in the excavation area. As far as we know, no similar object has previously been found in a Church. Israel...

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Jerusalem, Temple Mount Walls Explorations

Images. Two temples to the God of Israel were built in Jerusalem. The First Temple was built by King Solomon. The Second Temple was built by the Jews who returned from the Babylonian exile, and later replaced by King Herod with a new building. To that end, the entire Temple Mount was rebuilt on gigantic dimensions. Near the southwestern corner of t...

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Jerusalem, The 'City of David' Explorations

Images. The City of David is located on the low, southeastern hill of Jerusalem, outside the Old City walls. Here, near the spring of Gihon - the only permanent water source - the first settlement was established in the Chalcolithic period. Later a Canaanite city flourished at the site. It was this particular site that was chosen by King David, aro...

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Khirbet Qumran Explorations

Images. Khirbet Qumran is a small site, close to the northwestern edge of the Dead Sea. The famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the neighboring caves. The discovery was followed by the excavation of the site, which is believed to be the central site of the Jewish sect who wrote the scrolls (but there are other scholarly opinions as to the na...

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En Gedi Explorations

Images. Ein Gedi was a prosperous Jewish village that was destroyed, together with its synagogue, during the reign of Justinian in the mid-six century A.D. The synagogue was the last in a series built on the site, and like its predecessor of the third century A.D., it was lavishly decorated with floor mosaics. These yielded several inscriptions in ...

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