Pre-History: Ubediya

Date/ Period:
Pre-History

Physical Description of Site:
An archaeological site.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 3-Fossil hominid sites. Chronological-Regional: I- Early evolution of man in the world.
Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society

Historical Data/ Description:
The archeological site, initially excavated in 1960, is located north of the Jordan Valley, 3 km south of the Kinneret and is adjacent to Kibbutz Beit Zeira. It is one of the world's most ancient sites located beyond the African dry land in which remains and traces of prehistoric human activity were uncovered. The site is dated to the late Paleolithic period which extended one million years. Its emergence in the Levantine countries dates 1.4 million years ago, lasting until 120,000 years ago. According to accepted theory, man left the continent 2 million years ago. In the site "regions of living" of prehistoric man are identified. The ground surfaces are positioned in a 70 degree angle, as a result of geological movement. In the excavations, sixty layers of ground were revealed, containing tools and animal bones. Among the findings are: 10,000 chiseled stone tools, flooring made from parts of basalt, limestone and flint and the pre historic remains of two Homo erectus, Lithika and Phauna. Evidence of a hippopotamus was revealed, slaughtered by a flint tool. The animal remains found in the site include species no longer residing in Israel: elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotami, crocodiles, bears, turtles and a variety of fish. The discovered bones were used as human food as is evident in the breaking and peeling marks used to remove the meat. Initial evidence was found suggesting fire usage but the fire source remains unknown.

Bibliographical References:
Bar-Yosef, O. & N Goren-Inbar, 1993. The Lithic Assemblages of 'Ubeidiya (Qedem 34). Jerusalem: Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Bar-Yosef, O. & E. Tchernov, 1972. On the Palaeo- Ecological History of the Site of 'Ubeidiya. Jerusalem: The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
Stekelis M., Bar-Yosef, O, 1966-69. Archeological Excavation at 'Ubeidiya. Jerusalem, 1966-69.

Rock Art
Coordinates and Location:
Mount Karkom, Negev Mountains.

Date/ Period:
Pre-history

Physical Description of Site:
Cultural landscape

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 2-Rock-art sites, 3-Fossil hominid site, 7-Religious properties, Thematic: 3-Spiritual responses

Historical Data/ Description:
Mount Karkom is in the southern Negev desert at the northern edge of Nahal Paran and provides among the world’s best examples of rock engravings. An impressive 100 plus Paleolithic sites, mostly from the Middle Paleolithic period, have been found. Many flint tool workshops, containing numerous cores and flakes, as well as traces of huts from the period were found. Because of the desert conditions, the in situ sites and flakes and tools scattered around cores were found in an excellent state of preservation. In the Late Chalcolithic, Early Bronze, and beginning of the Middle Bronze ages, the mountain was used as a pilgrimage, ceremonial, and cultic site: numerous rock engravings of religious significance were carved and massebot were set up.
Many stone circles and tumuli were also erected, as was a structure that can probably be identified as a temple. After the period of intense occupation, the plateau was abandoned for about 800 years. According to the building remains, it was next occupied by desert inhabitants, who probably did not settle here permanently.
The burial tumuli, stone circles and other megalithic structures, massebot, and rock engravings reveal that the mountain was sacred as an important cultic and religious centre. Similar examples of rock art in sites in the Sinai and Jordanian plateau are part of the same collection.

Bibliographical References:
E.Anati, Har Karkom, Montagan Sacra nel Deserto dell’Esodo 1-2 (Di Fronte e Attraverso 135), Milan 1984.
E.Anati, Har Karkom (tr. From the Italia: La Montagne de Dieu: Har Karkom), Milan 1986.
E.Anati, I Siti a Plaza di Har Karkom (Archivi- Monografie di Preistoria di Arte Preistorica e Primitiva ),Cap di Ponte 1987.

Judean Hill region: Sataf

Coordinates and Location:
1620 1300. 5 km west of Jerusalem

Date/ Period:
Iron Age; Roman; Byzantine; Othman

Physical Description of Site:
Remains of a ruined village, springs, cultivated terraces and Shumerot.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,
6-Vernacular architecture, 8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties, 10-Cultural landscape. Thematic: 6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
The Judean Hills are part of the range of western hills in the Land of Israel. In the early Bronze Period, the great city states of the Judean plain, Lachish, Yeramot and Gezer, were established. The period of Israeli settlement and the ascent to the high mountains, initiated the development of forests and settlements on the plains and mountains. From this the culture of terrace building derived. In the Byzantine Period the region flourished economically. Existing settlements were destroyed and new ones were established, churches and monasteries were instituted and land was leased for agriculture. This can be seen in the remains of the agricultural systems, the many churches and monasteries and the fortresses. The settling of the Arabs deepened the agricultural tradition of terraces and water systems that shaped the landscape. Sataf, a reconstructed early agricultural site, is located on Eitan Hill. Settlement of the site began 4000 BCE in the Chalcolithic period. The terrace system found on the site was developed 4500 years ago. In 1985 KKL-JNF began the restoration of ancient agricultural practices in the area. Within the framework of the project two springs, Ein Sataf and Ein Bikura were revealed, as well as flowing channels that conducted the water to large storing pools.

Bibliographical References:
Edelstein G. and Gat Y., ‘Terraces around Jerusalem’, Israel - Land and Nature, 6(1980-81), pp. 72-78.
Edelstein G. Gibson S., ‘Ancient Jerusalem’s Rural Food Basket’, BAR, 8/4 (1982), pp. 46-54.
Edelstein G., Milevski I. and Aurant S., ‘Terraces and Stone Mounds’, Villages, Terraces, and Stone Mounds: Excavations at Manahat, Jerusalem, 1987-1989, Jerusalem, 1998, pp. 6-13.
Ron Z., ‘Agricultural Terraces in the Judean Mountains’, IEJ, 16 (1966), pp. 33-49.

Elijah's Cave; El-Hader;
School of the Prophets, Mount Carmel

Coordinates and Location:
1460 2480. 4 km west of the centre of the city of Haifa

Date/ Period:
Iron Age-Present.

Physical Description of Site:
Cave

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 7-Religious properties. Thematic: 3- Spiritual responses.

Historical Data/ Description:
Elijah's Cave is located in Haifa on the foot of Mt. Carmel and is a holy site according to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as the cave in which Elijah the prophet dwelled. According to Christianity, the same site housed the family of Jesus when they hid from King Herod on their flight to Egypt. Experts hold that the site was deemed holy in the beginning of the Byzantine period. In Arabic the cave is called “El Hadar”, the name of Elijah the prophet in Islam. Throughout the years the cave was enlarged and today stands as a rectangular building whose measurements are 9 by 14 by 4.5 (l, w, h). Many buildings have been erected in the entrance of the cave to service the many pilgrims who believe in the healing powers of the site.


Bibliographical References:
Fridman E., 'Elijah's Cave Sanctification', Ariel, 37-39 (1985), 105-106.
Ovadiah Asher, 'Elijah's Cave Inscriptions', Qadmoniyot, 2 (1969), 99-101.
Augustinović A., ‘El Khader’ and the Prophet Elijah, Jerusalem 1972

Water systems:
The Aqueducts to Caesarea

Coordinates and Location:
1400 2120. 50 km south of the city of Haifa.

Date/ Period:
Roman

Physical Description of Site:
An aqueduct that starts at Upper Nahal Taninim and brings water to the ancient city of Caesarea.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society : 6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
The old city of Caesarea required a steady flow of running water. Initially its waters came from the local wells. However, as the population grew to several hundred thousand people, a large scale aqueduct was required. The aqueduct was built in several phases, starting between 37BC and 4BC by King Herod when the new city was founded and dedicated to the Roman Caesar, Augustus. It brought the water from the southern side of Mount Carmel, at Shummi, about 10 km to the north-east of the city. This proved to be insufficient and a second "lower" aqueduct was built during the second century by Roman Legionnaires. This section, with a tunnel of about 6KM long, was tapped into the older aqueduct, doubling its capacity.  The builders used the same materials and style, so it is hard to differentiate between the pair of tunnels. The aqueduct continued to supply water for 1200 years. During the ages it was repaired several times. In the marsh lands east of Jiser-e-Zarka a bypass canal was built to overcome the damages but then became beyond repair. Thus, in the Crusaders period, a third, smaller, canal was built in the sandstone ridge to replace the first two.  A fourth lower aqueduct was built from a new source of water north of Jiser-e-Zarka which was dammed in order to create a lake, thus raising the water levels at the source, bringing the water to the city.



Bibliographical References:
Porath Yosef, 'The water-supply to Caesarea: a re-assessment',
The aqueducts of Israel, Amit David, Patrich Joseph and Hirschfeld Yizhar (eds.), Journal of Roman Archaeology Suppl. 46, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 2002, 104-129. 
‘Abed a-Salam Sa‘id  and ‘Ad Uzi , Nahal Tanninim Dam, Hadashot Archiologiyot, 119 (2007).

Mosaics: Sepphoris Zippori

Coordinates and Location:
1760 2390. 30 km west of Tiberius q

Date/ Period:
Roman; Byzantine

Physical Description of Site:
Excavated site with a tel and water system, ancient churches and synagogue.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 4-Historic buildings and ensembles, 7-Religious properties. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society, 6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
Zippori is located in the central Galilee region, west of Nazareth and is the site of a rich and diverse historical and architectural legacy that includes Assyrian, Hellenistic, Judean, Babylonian, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader, Arabic and Ottoman influences. Among the structures and other findings at the site that have been uncovered and reconstructed are a Roman villa with colorful mosaic floors, a Roman theater, a church from the Crusader period, and the mosaic at the Nile Festivity house, depicting the celebrations of the rise of the Nile in Egypt. The remains of a sixth century synagogue have been uncovered in the lower section of the city and retain evidence of an interesting fusion of Jewish and pagan beliefs. In the center of the floor is a mosaic depicting the zodiac wheel. Helios sits in the middle, in his sun chariot, and each zodiac is matched with a Jewish month. Along the sides of the mosaic are strips depicting Biblical scenes, such as the binding of Isaac, as well as traditional rituals, including a burnt sacrifice and the offering of fruits and grains.

Bibliographical References:
Talgam R. and Weiss Z., The mosaics of the house of Dionysos at Sepphoris, Jerusalem, 2004.
Weiss Zeev, Promise and redemption: a synagogue mosaic from Sepphoris, Jerusalem, 1996.

The Cave Region of the Shfela

Coordinates and Location:
1400 1120. 15 km east of the city of Kiryat Gat.

Date/ Period:
Roman, Byzantine, Early Islamic

Physical Description of Site:
Caves

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 2 Rock-Art sites, 6-Vernacular architecture. Thematic: 2-Creative Responses and Continuity

Historical Data/ Description:
The Cave Region of the Shfela is located in a surrounding of rolling hills and rises some 400 metres above sea level. The majority of the ground is chalky and soft but a relatively erosion-resistant stone and is ideal for caves. In ancient times, people began to dig caves in the Beit Govrin area, which they used as quarries and burial grounds, storerooms and workshops, hiding places and spaces for raising doves. The soft chalk is generally covered by a layer of harder nari, which can be up to two metres thick. In general, the caves have a narrow opening in the nari and get wider and wider in the chalk levels. Hundreds of caves were dug in the area, some of which form a huge, astonishingly complex underground maze. Tel Maresha (Marissa) stands in the highest part of the national park. This was the site of the city in Judea fortified by King Rehoboam after the campaign of Egyptian pharaoh Shishak. The city came into its own during the Hellenistic period (third to second centuries B.C.E.). During the Hasmonean period, John Hyrcanus captured the city and forced its residents to convert to Judaism. In Roman times, the residents abandoned Tel Maresha and established the nearby city of Beit Govrin, which became one of the important cities in its area in Israel.

Bibliographical References:
Kloner Amos, The Hiding Complexes in Judea, Tel Aviv, 1987.
Kloner Amos, Maresha, Jerusalem, 1996.
Ben-Arieh Yehoshua, 'The Caves in the area of Beth-Guvrin', A Land Reflected in its Past, Jerusalem, 2001, 87-117.

Incense Route: 'Avdat Eboda 'Abda

Coordinates and Location:
1290 0230. 40 km south of the city of Beersheba.

Date/ Period:
Roman; Byzantine.

Physical Description of Site:
A large ruined settlement with an acropolis. Remains of houses, pagan temple, churches and monasteries

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 5-Urban and rural settlements/Historic towns and villages,
7-Religious properties, 11-Cultural routes. Thematic:
1-Expressions of Society, 5 Movement of peoples.

Historical Data/ Description:
An ancient caravan station evolved into a large desert city known as Obodat (after a Nabataean king). It was first founded as a road station in the third century BCE where two trade routes converged (The Aila-Gaza and Sela-Gaza routes). The city is situated on a ridge rising about 80 metres from the surrounding plain. The city possesses many ruins, among them an underground necropolis and the remains of several churches. In the middle of the third century CE, Obodat was resettled and became an important Roman military outspost, with a residential quarter on the spur southeast of the acropolis. In the sixth century, under Byzantine rule, Obodat had an estimated population of 3,000. At this time, new agricultural crops were grown in the valleys around the city and a number of wine presses, which have been excavated, indicate intensive vine cultivation. In addition, a citadel and monastery with two churches were built on the acropolis. Eventually, the city was destroyed, most likely by earthquake, and abandoned in the seventh century.



Bibliographical References:
Meshel Zeev and Tsafrir Yoram, The Nabataean Road Ovdat-Sha'ar Ramon, Jerusalem, 1974.
Negev, Avraham, The Architecture of Oboda: Final Report, Jerusalem, 1997.
Artzy, Michal, 'Incense, Camels and Collared Rim Jars: Desert Trade Routes and Maritime Outlets in the Second Millennium', Oxford Journal of Archaeology 13:2 (1994) 121-147.

Tiberias

Coordinates and Location:
Western shore of the Sea of Galillee

Physical Description of Site:
Ancient city

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archeological heritage, 5-Urban and rural settlements, 7-Religious properties, 9-Military properties
Chronological: 9- Roman Empire, 10- Byzantine, 11- Early Muslim Period, 12f- The impact of the Crusaders in the Near East
Thematic: 2-Creative responses, 3-Spiritual responses

Historical Data/ Description:
Tiberias is a city located on the western shore of the Sea of Galillee and was established in the year 20 CE by Herod Antipas and named after the Roman Caesar Tiberius. It developed into a central and prosperous Jewish centre in the times of the Mishna and the Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud was mostly composed there. In addition, it was the final meeting place of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court. In Byzantine times, an aqueduct was constructed which brought water from Nahal Yavnel. The south of the city contains hot springs (Hamat Tiberias) which are cited in the writings of the Jewish sages and were viewed to have healing qualities since ancient times. The city continued to flourish in the Early Muslim period, but the population and architecture changed in the Crusader conquest of the land of Israel in 1099. At that time, palaces, a fortress and an impressive wall that surrounded it were built. However, the Crusader chapter came to an end in the surrender of the Battle of Hattin, not far from the city, in 1187, when the armies of Saladin took siege of the city. Throughout the Late Muslim Period both Arabs and Jews settled in the city. In recent archeological excavations many remains from this period were found including the column road of the city, a bathhouse, the southern entrance gate to the city and a theatre. Tiberias is viewed as one of the four Holy Cities in Israel by the Jews (together with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tsfat). Among the many important sites found there: the burial site of Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes and the burial sites of many other Tannaim and Amoraim and the Rambam who was the personal physician of Saladin. Tiberias is also the location of the St. Petrus Church, a Franciscan church located in the place, according to Christian tradition, in which Jesus appeared before his apostles for a second time.

Herod the Great:
Masada Mezada es Sebbe

Coordinates and Location:
1830 0800. 15 km south of 'En Geddi.

Date/ Period:
Roman

Physical Description of Site:
A mountain surrounded by clifs with archaeological remains: palace, ancient synagogue; water system, Roman siege wall and camps, monastery.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 7-Religious properties, 8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties,
9-Military properties. Thematic:
1-Expressions of Society, 2-Creative Responses and Continuity,
6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
Herod the Great was one of the famous builders of the classical world. His buildings benefited from his analytical mind, creative imagination, and deep understanding of the process of building and planning. The consequences are outstanding structures such as Herodium's cylindrical palatial fortress, Caesarea Maritima with its deepwater harbor, the rebuilding of Jerusalem's Temple Mount and Masada, was one of Herod's greatest achievements. The palace is a rugged natural fortress in the Judaean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 CE It was built as a palace complex, in the classic style of the early Roman Empire, by Herod the Great. The palace is an outstanding example of a luxurious villa of the Early Roman Empire, whilst the Roman camps and other fortifications that encircle the monument constitute the finest and most complete Roman siege works to have survived to the present day.


Bibliographical References:
Netzer Ehud, The architecture of Herod, the great builder, Tübingen, 2006.
Ben-Yehuda Nachman, Sacrificing truth: archaeology and the myth of Masada, Amherst, N.Y., 2002.
Masada: the Yigael Yadin excavations 1963-1965, Jerusalem, 1989-2006.
.

Roman remains:
Bet Shean Scythopolis Nysa Beisan

Coordinates and Location:
1970 2110. 25 km east of the city of Afula.

Date/ Period:
Hellenistic-Present.

Physical Description of Site:
A ruined site. Excavations of a theatre, amphitheatre, Pagan temples, churches and monasteries, paved streets

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,4, 5-Urban and rural settlements/Historic towns and villages,
6-Vernacular architecture, 7-Religious properties. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society,
2-Creative Responses and Continuity.

Historical Data/ Description:
Since ancient times, the valley of Beth Shean has been a crossroad connecting the vast east to west valley of Jezreel and the Via Maris to the Rift Valley Road to Jericho. Villagers who settled the valley, which received its name from the ancient city of Beth Shean, were blessed with plentiful sources of fresh water from the adjacent springs of Mt. Gilboa. Beth Shean grew and prospered, figuring prominently in the history of the Land of Israel. In recent years archeologists have carried out massive excavations at the site. The archaeology has yielded two cities: the biblical site of Beth Shean at the site of the tel (arch mound), and the site of the Greco-Roman city Scythopolis, founded in 250 BCE. Excavations have unveiled a remarkable city, one which incorporated all the 'glory that was Rome' and the best of Hellenistic culture. A typical Roman cardo, connected the upper city with the forum, marketplace, Roman bathhouse, and theatre. The Roman theatre dominated the city and is one of the most impressive discovered in Israel. Adjacent to the theatre is an amphitheatre, where gladiators fought their battles and men were thrown to the lions. The entire city was destroyed in October of 749 CE by a massive earthquake. Minor settlements have flourished around the fallen city throughout the centuries.

Bibliographical References:
Tsafrir Y. and Foerster G., ‘Urbanism at Scythopolis-Bet Shean in the Forth to Seventh Centuries’, DOP, 51 (1997), pp. 85-146.
Isaac B. and Roll I., Roman Roads in Judaea, I: The Legio-Scythpolis Road, BAR (141), 1982.
Mazor Gabi, ' Scythopolis – Capitol City of the Province Paleastina Seconda', Qadmoniot, 27:3-4 (1995), 117-137.

Pilgrim's way:
Jaffa-Jerusalem

Coordinates and Location:
Jaffa (1260 1620) Jerusalem (1710 1320)

Date/ Period:
Roman-Othman

Physical Description of Site:
Roman Roads

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 11-Cultural routes. Thematic:
3- Spiritual responses.

Historical Data/ Description:
The ancient city of Jerusalem is located near the main mountain road junction where routes from the four points of the compass meet. During the Second Temple Period the city was an attraction for thousands of Jewish pilgrims who made their way from all parts of the Roman Empire and from Babylonia. Those who traveled to Jerusalem from the west may have taken one of the two major routes leading from the port city of Jaffa on the coastal plain, through the Shephelah into the Judean Mountains. The first road was a sixty kilometer journey through Lydda, Modi‘in, the Ayyalon valley, Lower Beit Horon, Elyon and Gibeon. This road has only one steep section, which is located between Lower and Upper Beit Horon and is a little over three kilometres in length. After this point, the road to Jerusalem follows an easily negotiated plateau formation. The second route that pilgrims followed was sixty-six kilometres long, and was by way of Lydda, Gezer, Ayyalon valley, Emmaus, Mazad, Abu Ghosh, and Givat Shaul. This road crosses difficult terrain, and is the most arduous of the routes between Jaffa and Jerusalem. The same route continued to be used by later pilgrims, especially during the Byzantine and Crusader periods, when Christians visited the holy city of Jerusalem.


Bibliographical References:
Fischer Moshe, Isaac Benjamin, Roll Israel, Roman Roads in Judaea II: The Jaffa-Jerusalem Roads, B.A.R. 1996.
Safrai, Shmuel, Pilgrimage to Jerusalem at the end of the Second Temple period, Studies on the Jewish Background of the New Testament (1969) 12-21.

Frontiers of the Roman Empire:
'En Boqeq

Coordinates and Location:
1840 0670. 20 km east of the city of Arad.

Date/ Period:
Roman; Byzantine

Physical Description of Site:
Ancient Farm House and a Fort

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,
8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties, 9-Military properties. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society.

Historical Data/ Description:
The southern part of Palestine – the Negev, the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea basin, introduce a unique combination of Roman military posts, agricultural settlements from Late Antiquity together with cities and towns. The uniqueness of Palaeastinae Tertia's Limes is originating in the unusual combination of fortresses and semi-military settlements. These sites were excavated during recent years by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The fact that the Negev, the Dead Sea basin and the Arava were on the fringes of the settled land and were inhabited mainly during Late Antiquity preserved the sites in a relatively good state. During recent years impressive and well preserved settlements such as Beersheba, Eboda Birshema and Nessana were excavated, contributing to the understanding of this unique border system in the history of Southern Israel. To these one should add the many Roman forts of this area such as En Boqeq. The excavations here revealed a small, four-towered Roman legionnaire fort which guarded the main road passing through southern Dead Sea to the area southern Moav and Edom.

Bibliographical References:
Fischer, Moshe, "The water systems of the ’En Boqeq oasis", The Aqueducts of Israel (2002) 402-408.
Moshe Fischer, En Boqeq: Excavations in an Oasis on the Dead Sea, Mainz am Rhein, 2000.
M. Gihun, ’En Boqeq: Ausgrabungen in einer Oase am Toten Meer I, Mainz am Rhein, 1993.
J. Magness, "Re-dating the forts at Ein Boqeq, Upper Zohar, and other sites in SE Judaea, and the implications for the nature of the Limes Palaestinae", edited by J.H. Humphrey, The Roman and Byzantine Near East 2: Some Recent Archaeological Research. JRA Suppl. Series 31, 1999.

Early synagogues:
Bar'am Kefar Bir'am.

View 360º Virtual Reality

Coordinates and Location:
1890 2720. 15 km north-west of the city of Sefad.

Date/ Period:
Roman; Byzantine

Physical Description of Site:
A ruined site with remains of an ancient synagogue

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 7- Religious properties. Thematic: 3- Spiritual responses.

Historical Data/ Description:
Until today, ninety synagogues and one hundred and fifty inscriptions have been found in Israel spanning the first century through the tenth century. They can be divided into three major categories. The first category, the ancient class (first century CE until mid third century), can be identified by architectural ornamentation, and includes the synagogues in Herodian and Masada. The intermediate class (mid third century until end of fifth century) and the late class (end of fifth century onwards) embody mosaic flooring. The mosaic compositions include depictions of pagan gods and nude figures which attest to the liberal spirit of the time. The ancient synagogue in the national park of Baram is an example of a temple built in the days of the Tamud. It possesses many similarities to a neighboring temple and displays architectural influences from the many foreigners who lived in the land at that time. The façade of the structure, which faces Jerusalem, is preserved and boasts an extravagant arched entrance.






Bibliographical References:
Levine Lee I., The ancient synagogue: the first thousand years, New Haven, Conn., 2005. 
Aviam, Mordechai, The ancient synagogues at Bar’am, Judaism in Late Antiquity III, 4 (2001) 155-177.

Pilgrim's way:
Nazareth-Sepphoris-Tiberias

Coordinates and Location:
Nazareth 1780 2340 Sepphoris 1760 2390 Tiberias 2010 2420

Date/ Period:
Byzantine; Crusader

Physical Description of Site:
Pilgrim's road comprised of Roman and local roads

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 7-Religious properties, 11-Cultural routes, 13-symbolic properties and memorials. Thematic:
3- Spiritual responses.

Historical Data/ Description:
The area of the lower east Galilee is the area in which early Christianity was conceived and developed. In places such as Nazareth, the village of Canah and the village of Nachum, Jesus performed some of his greatest miracles. In the Byzantine period, from the onset of the fourth century --- of holy sites in the Galilee and the building of churches began. This period also marks the beginning of pilgrimage to the Galilee region; pilgrims would make their way from Sepphoris through designated roads that led to Nazareth and Tiberias. The Crusaders built roads that allowed thousands of pilgrims passage to the various holy sites in the area: monasteries, churches inns and wells developed along the contours of the road.





Bibliographical References:
Hirschfeld, Yizhar, The Anchor Church at the summit of Mt. Berenice, Tiberias, Biblical Archaeologist 57:3 (1994) 122-133.

Byzantine Desert Churches:
Shivta (Sobata)

Coordinates and Location:.
About 40 kms south-west of Beersheva

Date/ Period:
Byzantine

Physical Description of Site:
Church and monastic buildings

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 5-Urban and rural settlements,
7- Religious properties, 8-Agricultural properties, Thematic: 3- Spiritual response, 6-Developing technologies

Historical Data/ Description:
Situated about 40 kms south-west of Beersheva it was founded in the Middle Nabatean period (first century BCE) and flourished in the Late Nabatean Period, equivalent to Late Roman-Byzantine, or third to seventh centuries. Shivta was built on a side road, connecting Avdat with the important town of Nitsana. It was probably abandoned in the eighth century. The uniqueness of Shivta is in its vast surrounding agricultural area, with impressive remains of water collection and soil conservation systems. Traces of ancient vineyards can be seen all around. In the town itself a large number of water cisterns, water channels and reservoirs are the best witnesses of the struggle of men with nature and his ability to adapt to difficult conditions. The main remains in the town include three well preserved churches, residential areas, wine press and stables. In spite of the fact that most of the site is not excavated, ruins of public buildings and the street patterns are evident. Future excavation, conservation and presentation will undoubtedly reveal the best preserved town and houses of the period in this region.



Bibliographical References:
Encyclopaedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land 1993
A. Negev, The Churches of the Central Negev, Revue
Biblique 81, 1974

'En Gedi Engaddi

Coordinates and Location:
1870 0980. 75 km south-east of Jerusalem

Date/ Period:
Roman; Byzantine.

Physical Description of Site:
Bio-ecological system; ancient synagogue; burial caves; ancient farming; Chalcolithic temple.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,
7-Religious properties, 8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties. Thematic: 3- Spiritual responses. Nature: plant and bio-diversity.

Historical Data/ Description:
Ein Gedi is an oasis located on the west of the Dead Sea. It is known for its caves, springs, and its rich diversity of flora and fauna. The park is situated on the eastern border of the Judean Desert and on the Dead Sea coast. The park is a sanctuary for many types of plant, bird and animal species. The oldest archeological finds at Ein Gedi include a temple and hundreds of copper and ivory ceremonial vessels dating from the Chalcolithic period (4000 years BCE). The first Jewish settlement began in the seventh century BCE. Ein Gedi developed extensively with the remains of agricultural terraces, cisterns and aqueducts, as well as an ancient synagogue with a mosaic covered floor, can still be seen.


Bibliographical References:
Hirschfeld Yizhar, Ein-Gedi – A Very Big Village of Jews, Haifa, 2006.
Barag, Dan, 'The synagogue at ’En-Gedi', Ancient Synagogues Revealed (1981) 116-119.

Umayyad Palaces:
Horvat Minia

Coordinates and Location:
2000 2520. 15 km north of the city of Tiberias.

Date/ Period:
Umayyad (early Islamic)

Physical Description of Site:
A Palace from the Umayyad period.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,
7-Religious properties. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society.

Historical Data/ Description:
The Umayyad Palace or Horvat Minia, is located southwest of the Kinneret and contains the remains of an eighth century unfinished palace. It was built by the Muslim ruler Al Walid, from the house of Omia, and was destroyed by earthquake. The Minia, “small port”, was a square structure fortified by four walls and included cylindrical towers on all four corners amid agricultural fields. It contained many rooms surrounding a central courtyard, a mosque, elaborate mosaics, a bathhouse, gates and walls. The entrance is in the east and once included a dome. In the Mamluk period an inn and “manim” store were established on site.


Bibliographical References:
Grabar O.et al. Sondages a Kh. Minyeh, IEJ 10 (1960) 226-243.
Schneider A.M., Die Mosaiken von Ch. El-Minje, Koln, 1939.
Rosen-Ayalon Meriam, ' Kh. Minyeh', The Land of Naftali, Jerusalem, 1968, 236-241.

Khans:
Khan Et-Tuggar

Coordinates and Location:
1880 2360. 23 km west of the city of Teberias

Date/ Period:
Mamluk

Physical Description of Site:
A ruined site, archaeological excavations.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society.

Historical Data/ Description:
The Khan Et- Tuggar (derived from the word "merchant store") is situated beside the Keshet stream next to the Afula road across from Kibbutz Keshet. During the Middle Ages this stream passed alongside an international road that connected Damascus to Cairo, between the Khan Et-Lagun and the Khan Minia. On the length of this stream are springs, the probable cause of the inn's destination. The inns in the Galilee have recently benefited from a comprehensive archaeological study. The establishment of the inns began in the Roman period and reached its peak of development during the Ottaman Empire. The establishment of inns derived from the need to create a safe route between Damascus and Cahir. The existing building is comprised of two wings, illustrating the two periods in which it was development. In the first stage the inn was built on the southern two thirds of the current building and included rooms encircling a central courtyard and a mosque. Later, an additional wing was added on the northern side generating a building of 120m length and 65m width. In its later stages, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the building was further extended and in the twentieth century was adapted into a central marketplace.


Bibliographical References:
Gal Zvi, 'Khan et-Tuggar: A new look at a "Western Survey" entry', PEQ 117 (1985) 69-75.
Gal Zvi, 'Khan et-Tuggar', Qadmoniot, 62-63 (1983), 92-94.

Sugar Industry during the Crusader Period: Horvat Manot

Coordinates and Location:
1642 2718. 20 km north of the city of Acre

Date/ Period:
Crusader

Physical Description of Site:
A ruined site. Archaeological excavations

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,
8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties. Thematic: 6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
The remains of the Manot, a Crusader sugar factory, are located in Choresh east of highway 70. The Crusaders first encountered sugar canes on the shores of Lebanon and began to cultivate them in the eleventh century. They were the first to granulate sugar and exported it to Europe. When the ruling power changed to Muslim hands the industry remained until the fifteenth century. The Manot factory is a prime example of this early industry and would greatly benefit from archaeological excavations which would show the detailed technology of sugar manufacturing. Conservation of the site would contribute to the understanding of the crusader heritage in Israel.


Bibliographical References:
Stern Edna J., 'Horbat Manot (Lower)', ESI 18 (1998), 10.

Mediaeval Fortresses: Belvoir; Kochav Hayarden; Kaukab el-Hawa

Coordinates and Location:
1990 2220. 30 km south of the city of Tiberias.

Date/ Period:
Crusader

Physical Description of Site:
A fortress from the Crusader period.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 9-Military properties. Thematic: 2-Creative Responses and Continuity.

Historical Data/ Description:
The Crusader fortress of Belvoir, located on a hill of the Naphtali plateau, 20 km. south of the Sea of Galilee and about 500 metres above the Jordan Valley, was originally a part of the feudal estate of a French nobleman. The castle was highly symmetric, with a rectangular outer wall, reinforced with square towers at the corners and on each side, surrounding a square inner enclosure with four corner towers and one on the west wall. Vaults on the inner side of both walls provided storage and protection during bombardments. The fortress of Belvoir served its purpose as a major obstacle to the Muslim goal of invading the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem from the east. It withstood the attack of the Muslim forces in 1180. In Hebrew it is known as Kohav Hayarden, meaning the "Star of the Jordan" which preserves the name of Kohav, a Jewish village which existed nearby during the Roman and Byzantine periods. The Muslims called it Kaukab al-Hawa meaning "Star of the Winds", representing the strong winds on this hill top.


Bibliographical References:
Prawer J., "The History of the fortress of Kaukab el-Hawa-Belvoir", Yediot 31 (1967), 236-249.
Ben-Dov Meir, 'Excavations at the Crusader Fortress of Kohav-Hayarden', Qadmoniot, 2 (1969), 22-27.
Barasceh M., Crusader figural sculpture in the Holy Land : 12th century examples from acre, Nazaereth and Belvoir Castle, Ramat Gan : Massada, 1971.

The Mamluk Royal Road:
The White Mosque at Ramle

Coordinates and Location:
20 km south of Tel Aviv

Date/ Period:
Early Islamic; Crusader, Mamluk

Physical Description of Site:
City

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 4-Historic buildings and ensembles, 5-Urban and rural settlements/Historic towns and villages. Thematic: 2-Creative Responses and Continuity.

Historical Data/ Description:
Al-Ramla (Ramla) was founded in 716 by the Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik, The initial population moved from Ludd (Lydda, Lod). Ramla flourished as the capital of Jund Filastin, which was one of the five districts of the ash-Sham (Syrian) province of the Arab-Muslim Empire. Ramla was the principal city and capital of the country from its birth until the advent of the Crusaders in the 11th Century. The city's main mosque was termed the "White Mosque" and was claimed to be the finest in Palestine outside Jerusalem. Its remains, together with some large underground cisterns, are all that can be seen today from this early period. Ramla's economic importance during the Mamluk period, shared with its near-neighbor city of Lydda, was based on its location at the intersection of Palestine's two major roads, one linking Egypt with Syria and the other linking Jerusalem with the coast. At the start of the Ottoman period, Ramla was described as a large town with a small population which lay mostly in ruins.

Bibliographical References:
Rosen-Ayalon Miriam, 'Excavations in Ramle', Qadmoniot, 1 (1968), 138-140.
Ben-Dov Meir, 'Remains of Public Houses in Ramle from the Umayyad and Mamluk Periods', Qadmoniot, 17 (1984), 82-85.
Kaplan, J. Excavations at the White Mosque in Ramle, Atiqot 2 (1959) 106-115.

The Ottoman City:
Safed

Coordinates and Location:
1960 2630. 30 km north-west of the city of Tiberias.

Date/ Period:
Roman-Present

Physical Description of Site:
City.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 5-Urban and rural settlements/Historic towns and villages, 13-symbolic properties and memorials. Thematic: 1-Expressions of Society.

Historical Data/ Description:
Safed is a city in the North District in Israel and is regarded as one of the Four Holy Cities in Judaism along with Jerusalem, Tiberias and Hebron, Safed was a centre for the Kabbalah strengthened by the influx of Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. In the early 16th century, the Ottoman Empire, under Selim I, conquered Palestine when Safed became part of the vilayet of Sidon. A massive earthquake in 1837 destroyed much of the city.


Bibliographical References:
Ben-Arieh, Yehoshua, The population of the large towns in Palestine during the first eighty years of the nineteenth century, according to Western sources, Studies on Palestine during the Ottoman Period (1975) 49-69.
Pringle, Reginald Denys, 'Reconstructing the castle of Safad', PEQ 117,2 (1985) 139-149.
Hervé Barbé and Emanuel Damati, 'Sefat', Hadashot Archaeologiyot, 117 (2005)

Ottoman Railways:
Gesher

Coordinates and Location:
36 km south of Tiberias

Date/ Period:
Roman, Crusader, Mamluk, Othman

Physical Description of Site:
Bridge, Railway Station, fort.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties. 11- Cultural Routes. Thematic: 6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
The 1050mm gauge Hejaz Railway ran from Damascus to Medina, through the Hejaz region of Arabia. It was a part of the Ottoman railways network and was built in order to extend the existing line between Istanbul and Damascus to the holy city of Mecca. The main purpose of the Hejaz Railway was to establish connection between Istanbul, and the city of Mecca, which is the yearly pilgrimage destination of the Hajj. Another important reason was to improve the economic and political integration of the distant Arabian provinces into the Ottoman state, and to facilitate the transportation of military troops in case of need. The railway was initiated in 1900 at the behest of the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II and was built largely by the Turks, with German advice and support. A section of the Hejaz Railway ran through Israel, where it was called "The Emek Train". At the peak of its use the railway had forty stations between Haifa and El- Hamah. The Bridge Station was the sixth of eight original stations and upon its completion was the lowest railway station in the world.


Bibliographical References:
James Nicholson, The Hijaz Railroad, Stacy International Publishing, 2005.

Ecological corridors

Coordinates and Location:
Jordan Valley

Date/ Period:


Physical Description of Site:


Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Ecological processes


Historical Data/ Description
The rare ecological corridors situated in Israel are in imminent danger. The four main axis necessitate conservation

A. The Great Rift Valley: the valley is a unique and diverse phenomenon, befitting a complete conservation in collaboration with additional authorities and governments.
B. The regional axis of the Mediterranean Sea: the conservation of the sequence of natural open areas along the axis is of the utmost importance. This includes the zones that reach the Ireno-Torino region and the Desert region. The prominent areas are located in the eastern Shomron and the inner plain in Lachish.
C. The fragmented axis along the length of the coastal plain: here it is fitting to focus on the areas that have remained undeveloped such as the sand dunes of Caesarea and the isolated areas of sand dunes that are found between Rishon LeZion and Gaza.
D. The Desert Axis: which is composed of two parts: The first, the eastern, passes through the Judean Desert and the second, the western, stretches from the northern Negev at Nahal Besor and the Agur Sand Dunes, continuing beyond the Negev Mountains and the central Negev until reaching Eilat.


Bibliographical References:
Shkadi, Y. and Sadot, E.; Ecological Corridors in Open Spaces as a Means for Nature Preservation; Nature and Parks Authority, 2000;

Early cultivation of wheat:
Atlit and Aron Aharonson's Farm

Coordinates and Location:
1440 2340. 17 km south of the city of Haifa.

Date/ Period:
Late Othman

Physical Description of Site:
A farm house

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage,
8-Agricultural industrial and technological properties. Thematic: 6-Developing technologies.

Historical Data/ Description:
The first agricultural experiments in Israel were handled by Aron Aharonson in Atlit from 1910 through1914. The idea to develop this farm came from the Zionist leader Oto Varberg, a world known scientist who while serving as the leader of the Histadrut Party decided to establish an agricultural research center. Aharonson was chosen to direct the center and traveled to the U.S. to enlist support from the American Agricultural Department. Upon returning he established the farm and built a building that contained laboratories and offices. Until the outbreak of the First World War the centre authorized many experiments with crop growing and new farming tools. In 1906, while traveling in Rosh Pina, Aharonson noticed wild wheat growing in a field. This discovery proved that in this area was where for the first time man had cultivated cultural wheat from wild wheat.


Bibliographical References:
Oppenheimer Hillel, Aaron Aaronson's Scientific Enterprise, Rehovot, 1944.
Ben-Ari Michael, 'Aaron Aaronson as a Scholar: 100 Years to its Birth', Mada, 21 (1977), 14-17.

Great Rift Valley, Bird migratory flyways: Hula Valley

Coordinates and Location:
Latitude 33 10’N
Longitude 35 35’E

Date/ Period:

Physical Description of Site:
A marsh which is the nesting and stopping point for migrating birds.

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
3-Centre of Plant Diversity (CPD), 6-Endemic Bird Area (EBA)

Historical Data/ Description:
The Ha’hula Valley is located on the bird migratory flyway and is a resting place for birds migrating from Europe to Africa and back. The lake and swamps located in the area are used by thousands of birds as well as embodying a large variety of fish and plants. Soon after the establishment of the State of Israel a plan was drawn up to drain Lake Ha’hula and to replace it with 60,000 dunam of agricultural landscape. In 1951 the plan was actualized and finished seven years later. Activists fought to partially preserve the area and subsequently 3,200 dunam was set aside as the first nature reserve in Israel; it was officially listed in 1964. Nonetheless, many types of plants and animals disappeared from the valley. However, tens of thousands of birds still flock to the site yearly.


Bibliographical References:
Tristam, H.B. 1865, The Land of Israel - a Journal of Travels in Palestine, 1863-1864
Shirihai, H. 1996, Birds of Israel, Eds: Dovrot, E. & Christie, D.A., Academic Press & Unipress, Bath, UK
Dimentman, CH., Bromley, H.J. and Por, F.D. 1992. Lake Hula. The Israel Academy of Sciences and
Humanities, Jerusalem. 194 pp.
U Shirihai, H., Smith, J., Kirwan, G., Alon, D., 2000, A Guide to the Birding Hotspots in Northern Israel, SPNI. Israel

Dead Sea

Coordinates and Location:
31°20′N 35°30′E

Date/ Period:

Physical Description of Site:


Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
3-Centre of Plant Diversity (CPD), 6-Endemic Bird Area (EBA)

Historical Data/ Description:
The Dead Sea (Arabic: البحر الميت‎) is the Earth's lowest point not covered by ice, at 418 metres (1371 feet) below sea level, and the deepest hyper saline lake in the world, at 330 metres (1083 feet) deep. The Dead Sea is located in a part of a long fissure in the Earth's surface called the Great Rift Valley. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and measures 67 km (42 miles) long, 18 km (11 miles) at its widest point, and is located on the border between the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and Jordan. The main tributary is the Jordan River. It is the saltiest body of water on Earth, with a salinity of about 30 percent. The Dead Sea has attracted interest and visitors from around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years. It was a place of refuge for King David, one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of products as diverse as balms for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers. Many animal species make their homes in the mountains surrounding the Dead Sea and camels, ibex, hares, hyraxes, jackals, foxes, and even leopards live near the shores of the lake. Hundreds of bird species inhabit the zone as well.


Bibliographical References:
Raz Eli, Dead Sea Book, Tel Aviv, 1993.
Naor Mordechai (ed.), Dead Sea and the Judean Desert 1900-1967, Jerusalem, 1990.
Hirschfeld Yizhar, Dead Sea Area During the Second Temple Period, Tel Aviv, 2004.

Mount Zion: King David's Tomb (Nebi Daud) & Last Supper Room

View in Google Earth

Coordinates and Location:
1717 1314. 200 m' south of the Old City of Jerusalem

Date/ Period:
Byzantine, Crusader, Mamluk, Othman

Physical Description of Site:
Holy site composed of rooms, halls and a courtyard

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 7-Religious properties, 12-Burial monuments and sites, 13-symbolic properties and memorials. Thematic: 3- Spiritual responses.

Historical Data/ Description:
Mount Zion is an ancient mountain located in Jerusalem southwest of the Old City. The mountain contains sites of inherent significance to Judaism, Christianity and Islam and subsequently possesses museums and cemeteries. Ancient tradition declares that King David's Tomb is located in the basement of a building, south of the Zion Gate in the Old City walls, although according to the Hebrew Bible, David is buried inside the City of David. According to Christian tradition, the Room of the Last Supper lies on the second floor of this same building. This was the site where the apostles of Jesus received holy orders and became his first priests, and where they were praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon them on Pentecost. The building was spared during the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus (70 CE) and became the site of the first Christian church. During the Crusades, the building was razed to the ground by Muslims and replaced by the Crusaders with a basilica. In the 16th century, this room was transformed into a mosque, as evidenced by the mihrab in the direction of Mecca.


Bibliographical References:

En Nabi Samwil; Masepha

Coordinates and Location:
1672 1378. 7 km north-west of the city of Jerusalem.

Date/ Period:
Byzantine; Crusader, Mamluk; Othman

Physical Description of Site:
A fort and a holy site from the Crusader period

Applicable ICOMOS/IUCN Categories:
Typological: 1-Archaeological heritage, 9-Military properties, 12-Burial monuments and sites, 13-symbolic properties and memorials. Thematic: 3- Spiritual responses.

Historical Data/ Description:
Nebi Samuel is a holy site located atop a mountain, 908m high, in northwestern Jerusalem. The oldest remains on the site date back to the Hasmonian Period and additional remains exist from the First Temple Period. A Christian scholar in the sixth century identified the site as the burial place of the prophet Samuel and there are those who speculate that on the mountain resides the city of the prophet. During the Byzantine period a monastery was erected of which there are no remnants. The Crusaders named the mountain 'Mons Gaudi', mountain of joy, since from it they first observed Jerusalem. During that period a large fortress was built, later to be destroyed by the Mamluks. Today a mosque is situated on the top of the site, which was built on the remains of a church which was at one time a synagogue. Underneath the structure remains the burial place of Samuel the prophet.