Pictures from the Holyland » Judea

Aqua-Bella

dgrushko — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:46:29 +0000

Aqua-Bella nestles in a green valley in the Jerusalem Mountains. Several springs run through this lovely valley, creating a stream that flows year-round. The Crusaders built a fortified farm, with a structure that has been preserved. The Crusaders gave this spot and its main spring the Latin name Aqua Bella – “beautiful water”.

In 1099 the Crusaders conquered Palestine. Jerusalem was vanquished after a siege that lasted five weeks. The Crusaders held on to Palestine for some 200 years. They built fortresses in strategic locations throughout the land, ensuring their military domination. The Crusader structure at Aqua Bella has not been widely documented. It is mentioned in documents relating to 1163-1169. A number of documents raise the possibility that the fortress in Aqua Bella, built on agricultural land, may have belonged at that time to the order of Hospitaller Knights.

Based upon architectural findings, it was concluded that the fortress at Aqua Bella was built during the Period of King Fulk of Anjou, between 1140 and 1160 A.D. , at a time that other fortress were built in neighboring Belmont (Ysuba) and Emmaus (Latrun).

Sussia

dgrushko — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:15:58 +0000

Sussia is a Jewish settlement located in the southern Hebron hills (near Carmel and Maon). The site dates back to the Talmudic era / Byzantine period, 3rd -9th century A.D. and it’s the largest Jewish city that has been preserved for over 1500 years.

The City Walls

Burial Cave

According to the Jewish law, the burial place is located outside the city. In the foreground of the cave is an outer courtyard, over the opening to the cave there is a large round stone which was used to close and block the entrance.

Water Cisterns

As a result of the small amountof rainfall in the winter, there are many water holes and cisters in the site.

The Main Street

The Oil-Press cave

Dwelling Caves

The Synagogue

The synagogue is located on the highest place of the city. the synagogue dates to the end of the 4th century A.D. .

The Synagogue Courtyard

In the entrance to the courtyard of the synagogue there is a large round stone whose purpose was to close and block the entrance in time of danger

The mosaic inscription : ” In honour of the kindness of my master and Rabbi Issi HaCohen the honoured, who generously donated this mosaic and plastered the walls of the synagogue which shook with joy on the day of the wedding feast of his son, Rabbi Yochanan HaCohen the scribe. Peace unto Israel. Amen” .

An entrance to an underground tunnel for emergency escape exit from the synagogue.

The emergency tunnel

The Synagogue

The synagogue mosaic floor

The inscription say: “Remembered for the good and bless(ing) , who endeavored and made ( ) , the se(co)nd of the week (yaer) , Four thousan(d) , When the world was create(d) , ( ) in it May there be peace” .

The inscription say: “To be remembered for good the layer, Yeshua the witness, and the layer who…”

Hebron

dgrushko — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:27:15 +0000

Hebron is located twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem. Hebron was an ancient Canaanite royal city, probably founded in the 35th century B.C., and mentioned in the Bible as existing during the 18th century B.C. associated with Abraham’s purchase of land there from the Hittites, as a burial plot for his family after his wife Sarah had died. Hebron is mentioned as being formerly called Kiriath-arba, or “city of four”, possibly referring to a federation of four townlets, or four hills, before being conquered by Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 14). Hebron became one of the principal centers of the Tribe of Judah, and the Judahite King David reigned in the city until the capture of Jerusalem, when the capital of the Kingdom of Israel was moved to that city. During archeological excavations conducted at Tel Hebron, called Tel Rumeida or Hirbe al Yahud (ruin of the Jews) in the local Arabic patois, jar handle stamps bearing Hebrew letters dating from 700 B.C., the oldest known inscription naming the city, have been found in Hebron (LMLK seal).

Tel Hebron

The Canaanite Wall

Canaanite steps , near the wall

A Wine Press

The Ridge Road (“Patriarch’s Highway”) connected Hebron with Shechem in the north and Beersheba to the southwest. Hebron was also linked by road to Lachish to the west and Arad to the south.

Miles Stones

Roman Miles stones at the Patriarch’s Highway from Hebron to Jerusalem, near Gush-etzion.

Miles 11, 12 from Jerusalem

After the destruction of the First Temple, most of the Jewish inhabitants of Hebron were exiled and their place was taken by Edomites at about 587 BCE. . Herod the Great built a large rectangular enclosure over the caves of Machpelah (Cave of the Patriarchs), which is the only Herodian structure still completely surviving anywhere.

Cave of the Patriarchs

The heart of the site is the mysterious cave, hidden under the gigantic edifice which was constructed by Herod the great. The “Lamp Aperture” a round opening in the floor of “Isaac’s Hall”, is treated as the cave’s threshold. Each morning the cover is removed and oil lamps are lowered into the underground space.

Steps leading to underground tunnel going from the Lamp Room ( the room below the “Lamp Aperture”).

During the first war against the Romans, Hebron was conquered by Simon Bar Giora, the leader of the Sicarii. Eventually it became part of the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I erected a Christian church over the Cave of Machpelah in the 6th century CE which was later destroyed by the Persian.

Zif / Zip / Zyf

dgrushko — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:43:53 +0000

Zif was located four miles southeast of Hebron on one of the routes into the Hill Country from the Wilderness of Judea. Zif was a city assigned to the tribe of Judah after the Conquest (Josh 15:55). David hid from Saul in the wilderness areas surrounding Zif. Rehoboam fortified Zif to defend Judah from attack by enemies from the east and south.

The view from Zif

Water Cistern

Burial Cave

Anim

dgrushko — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 06:42:07 +0000

At southern Hebron hills, in the Yatir Forest, a Jewish village from the Byzantine-Talmudic period (4th century).

Near the synagogue of the village, at the top of the hill, are the remains of a fortress dating back to the Israelite Kingdom (from the 8th century BCE). The walls of this square building were five meters thick.

The Israelite Fortress

Anim Synagogue

The synagogue served the Jewish minority in the village until the latter’s conquest by the Moslems in the 7th century. It was built at the top of the hill.

Around the synagogue there are courtyards with water cistern and dwelling houses cave.

HERODION

dgrushko — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 07:26:13 +0000

Herodion, one of Herod the Great’s most ambitious building projects, served the judean King (37-4 B.C.) as summer palace, fortress, monument, burial ground and district capital. The Herodian complex, fifteen kilometers south of Jerusalem near the ancient roads to the Dead Sea, was built between 23-20 B.C. .

It was divided into two sections: Upper Herodion, which contained the palace set within circular fortress on an artificial cone-shaped mountain; and lower Herodion, at the base of the mountain, which consisted of numerous palace annexes for use by the king’s family and friends, and for the central offices of the district capital.

Upon his death, Herod bequeathed Herodion to his son, Archelaus, who ruled from 4 B.C. – 6 A.D. . when Archelaus was banished, Herodion passed into the hands of the Roman procurators, until it was taken from them by Jewish rebels at the outbreak of the great revolt against Rome in 66 A.D.

The Lower Herodion

Large Roman-style garden surrounded by columns, with a large pool at the center of the garden.

The Upper Herodion

Herodian Cooking Pot

The Zealots, who built a synagogue and ritual baths (Mikve) on the site, held Herodion for four years, until they were defeated by the Romans.

The Synagogue

The Jewish War (67/8 A.D.)

“Year two to the freedom of zion”

The site was abandoned until 132 A.D. , when it was once again occupied by Jewish rebels fighting in the Bar-Kochba revolt. A surprised assault system from the Bar Kochba period was found . It includes water cisterns, tunnels and hidden apertures for sneak attacks.

The descent to the tunnels and water cisterns

Water Cistern

Ballista stones

With the quelling of the rebellion in 135 A.D. , Herodion once again was abandoned, this time for several hundred years, until a large group of Byzantines took up residence among the ruins between the fifth and seventh centuries A.D. , and contributed four churches to the site.

Shalom for all

David