Remember that scene in Animal House when the frat boys decide that they have to do something to perk up their spirits and they chant "Road Trip, Road Trip"?
That's how I felt this Sunday when I joined the newly-formed group of Tzfat Day Trippers on a trip through to two local archaeological sites, Hatzor and Tel Dan. These two sites are, literally, in my backyard (Hatzor is about a 15 minute drive from Tzfat and Tel Dan is closer to an hour) but, although I'd vaguely heard about their stories (James Mitchner's book The Source was based on Hatzor and I never forgot his description of their child sacrifices) I had never really explored them.
That's how I felt this Sunday when I joined the newly-formed group of Tzfat Day Trippers on a trip through to two local archaeological sites, Hatzor and Tel Dan. These two sites are, literally, in my backyard (Hatzor is about a 15 minute drive from Tzfat and Tel Dan is closer to an hour) but, although I'd vaguely heard about their stories (James Mitchner's book The Source was based on Hatzor and I never forgot his description of their child sacrifices) I had never really explored them.
This was the 2nd trip of the local Tzfat group and it was so well-attended that some people had to be turned away -- obviously there's a great interest in the idea of getting out and exploring the country in an organized way. The guide was Yoni Zierler, a terrific and knowledgeable guide from Jerusalem who prepared for this group by identifying relevant passages in the Torah and Tanach to illustrate what we were seeing.
Our first stop was Tel Hatzor, Israel's largest archaeological site. It was first excavated by Yigal Yadin in the '50s and it continues to reveal amazing treasures and items of fascination.
Settlement in Hatzor dates back to the 3rd century B.C.E. -- after the visit to the tel (mound) we went to the museum at nearby Ayelet HaShachar where the finds are displayed and saw items dating back to 2500 B.C.E -- but Hatzor reached its pinacle in the 2nd and early 1st centuries when it was an important site on the Damascus-Egypt trading route.
Hatzor is listed as one of the Canannite cities that Joshua conquered in the Bible. The Bible records that, because of Hatzor's idolotry, it was the only city that Joshua completely destroyed. The Tanach records that Joshua burned the city and archaeological remain show that a fire occurred in about 1300B.C.E., exactly at the time that Joshua and the Children of Israel were entering the country.
Hatzor is also mentioned as one of the cities (along with Gezer and Megiddo) which Solomon fortified later one (approximately 1000B.C.E). At that time Hatzor became a Jewish city. The remains of the gates are, not coincidentally, identical to the gates found in digs at Megiddo and Gezer -- another archaeological discovery that meshes with the Tanach.
Remnants can be seen of homes, the palace, the city gates, storage areas and the temple where the Canannites sacrificed.
Settlement in Hatzor dates back to the 3rd century B.C.E. -- after the visit to the tel (mound) we went to the museum at nearby Ayelet HaShachar where the finds are displayed and saw items dating back to 2500 B.C.E -- but Hatzor reached its pinacle in the 2nd and early 1st centuries when it was an important site on the Damascus-Egypt trading route.
Hatzor is listed as one of the Canannite cities that Joshua conquered in the Bible. The Bible records that, because of Hatzor's idolotry, it was the only city that Joshua completely destroyed. The Tanach records that Joshua burned the city and archaeological remain show that a fire occurred in about 1300B.C.E., exactly at the time that Joshua and the Children of Israel were entering the country.
Hatzor is also mentioned as one of the cities (along with Gezer and Megiddo) which Solomon fortified later one (approximately 1000B.C.E). At that time Hatzor became a Jewish city. The remains of the gates are, not coincidentally, identical to the gates found in digs at Megiddo and Gezer -- another archaeological discovery that meshes with the Tanach.
Remnants can be seen of homes, the palace, the city gates, storage areas and the temple where the Canannites sacrificed.
After the guard at the museum in Ayelet HaShachar let us in for a few minutes (very nice of him because it was supposed to be locked that day) to see the findings, we headed north to Tel Dan.
Tel Dan is a nature reserve which houses the ancient ruins of the Lachish civilization. Although the tribe of Dan was supposed to have settled in the lowlands, near today's Tel Aviv (Gush Dan), they evidently were unhappy there and headed north to capture Lachish and expand their rule.
We walked through the nature reserve towards the area in which the archaeological site stands. Again, Yoni read relevant verses from the Tanach to make the era come alive as we imagined the conquest and settlement of the Dannites. Dan was also one of the regions in which King Ahab allowed his wife Jezebel to establish a temple to pagan gods and we got an overview of the era when traditional Torah worship intermingled with the gods of other nations.
Tel Dan is a nature reserve which houses the ancient ruins of the Lachish civilization. Although the tribe of Dan was supposed to have settled in the lowlands, near today's Tel Aviv (Gush Dan), they evidently were unhappy there and headed north to capture Lachish and expand their rule.
We walked through the nature reserve towards the area in which the archaeological site stands. Again, Yoni read relevant verses from the Tanach to make the era come alive as we imagined the conquest and settlement of the Dannites. Dan was also one of the regions in which King Ahab allowed his wife Jezebel to establish a temple to pagan gods and we got an overview of the era when traditional Torah worship intermingled with the gods of other nations.
I've been to Tel Dan before but never seen the final site that Yoni showed us -- an ancient arch....the earliest such structures known throughout the world. This, Yoni demonstrated, correlates with the passages in Bereshit (the Book of Genesis) in which Abraham goes to "Dan" to demand the release of his nephew Lot.
Since the arch dates back to 1800B.C.E., the era in which Abraham lived, it's likely, Yoni said, that Abraham himself walked under this arch as he approached the king to ask for his nephew.
Since the arch dates back to 1800B.C.E., the era in which Abraham lived, it's likely, Yoni said, that Abraham himself walked under this arch as he approached the king to ask for his nephew.
We didn't see the Tel Dan Stele, is an amazing find which archaeologists discovered in excavations at Tel Dan in 1994. but Yoni told us about it. The stone tablet is incomplete but the writing mentions King David -- the only (as yet) known mention of David outside of Biblical Texts. The writing on this tablet confirms that King David was a real historical personality. It is presently at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
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